With the Canucks trailing 1-0 in their play-in series, Travis Green says he's 'considering everything' in terms of lineup changes ahead of Game 2. imacSportsnet on why Jake Virtanen or Brandon Sutter could draw into the lineup to help turn the tide:
EDMONTON — Until you’re a starting goaltender in the National Hockey League playoffs, you’re not. Until you’re a team that has proved it can win in the playoffs, you haven’t.. It was an inescapable reality. But what wasn’t known — and still isn’t — was how much it would affect them in this spectacularly unique version of the Stanley Cup tournament.
After Vancouver’s first playoff game in five years, as a team almost entirely rebuilt during that time, ended in a 3-0 loss Sunday against the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks’ breakthrough season will flash before their eyes if they lose Game 2 here tonight.Jacob Markstrom allowed a bad goal less than three minutes into his first playoff start, but kept the Canucks close early and stopped 28 of 30 shots. Young stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes were among the best Canucks.
“With different groups there are different dynamics,” Beagle, 34, said. “The first thing that struck me about this group was the willingness to win and do whatever it takes. Some years we were so good in Washington but for some reason we just couldn’t get over the hump. We couldn’t get through the second round. I don’t even know why that was. But the core group that is here is hungry.
Virtanen can’t play centre, but fourth-line winger Brandon Sutter can. Sutter would give Green more reliability, but elevating him at the expense of Gaudette, who had 12 goals and 33 points in 59 games this season, would further dilute the offence in a bottom-six that struggles to score.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Oilers turn lessons from Game 1 loss into complete performance in Game 2 - Sportsnet.ca“We’re going to find out a lot about our team,” Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett predicted on the morning of a must-win Game 2. His players heard the message and responded with a complete game and a win against the Blackhawks.
Read more »
Spurgeon scores twice to lead Wild past Canucks in Game 1 - Sportsnet.caJared Spurgeon scored twice for the Minnesota Wild in a 3-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks to start their qualifying series Sunday.
Read more »
Canucks need to re-establish offensive identity going into Game 2 vs. Wild - Sportsnet.ca“You eliminate their skill guys, that’s part of the goal.” If the Canucks, want any chance of getting back in their StanleyCup qualifying series, they will need to re-establish the offensive identity that got them there. (By imacSportsnet)
Read more »
Veterans must step up after Canucks struggle to find offence vs. Wild - Sportsnet.caThe Vancouver Canucks waited 1,926 days to play a National Hockey League playoff game and now have to wait at least another two to score a playoff goal.
Read more »