Vancouver Canucks advance to 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Vancouver Canucks had an opportunity to take care of the Minnesota Wild on Friday night and advance to the NHL Playoffs for the first time in 5 years.
The Vancouver Canucks are advancing to the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs! That’s right, folks! Down go the Minnesota Wild in a crazy back and forth hockey game to remember! Their first playoff series win since losing game seven of the 2011 Finals, and the wait was worth it! Here are three takeaways from game 4.
Quinn Hughes had himself a night
Talk about a clutch performance! Quinn Hughes, the Canucks youngest defender led Vancouver players in ice time (27:31) and potted two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in the process. His first-ever playoff goal was a critical one, tying the game at three apiece with an absolute snipe from the point that beat Alex Stalock glove side after a very nice dish from J.T. Miller.
It was a type of goal that had you jumping off your couch screaming in excitement. All momentum shifted in the Canucks favor after that and the entire team was able to rally behind their young star to keep the goal of making the playoffs alive.
Minnesota answered back with another one shortly after to take a 4-3 lead, but that never stopped Vancouver from believing in themselves, digging deep within, and finding a way to chargeback and never give up. An all-around team effort after a shaky start from their goalie, but a lot of it ran through the stick of No. 43. He leads all NHL defenders in playoff points (1 goal, 5 assists), and he appears to be doing it with ease.
Tanner Pearson uses Stanley Cup experience in big win
General Manager Jim Benning brought in solid supporting pieces with playoff experience (Miller, Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli) to help the young core players of this team take on tough opponents when it matters. Last night the fans got to see his idea work its magic to the fullest with Pearson showing up and doing whatever it took to keep the Canucks in it. His Stanley Cup pedigree couldn’t have come at a better time!
After a God-awful performance in game 1, Pearson turned it around along the way and did it again in game 4. Whenever the Wild took the lead, it was Pearson who was there to help the Canucks knot things up again and again. He did it with a snipe of a tying goal early on to make it 1-1, and he did it again with a wonderful pass to linemate Bo Horvat late in the game to force overtime.
It was the kind of “never die” attitude, and it paid off big time. The 2014 Stanley Cup winner is now tied for third in points amongst all Vancouverites right now, and if he can keep his positive momentum going into the next round, the Canucks will be in great shape. They’ll need him at his best if they have any chance of defeating the St. Louis Blues or the Dallas Stars (yet to be determined).
Olli Juolevi makes his long-awaited NHL debut
It’s felt like an eternity waiting to watch the Canucks 5th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft make his NHL debut, but it finally happened. Olli Juolevi has fought off everything in his way that’s tried to stop him from making it big (two major injuries), and he finally earned enough confidence in the coaching staff to get the green light.
Opting to go with the young kid over Oscar Fantenberg, Green inserted him into a sheltered role, and for the most part, he was solid. To be honest, you didn’t really notice him out there too much (he only played a touch over six minutes), but that’s a good thing. He didn’t generate much for scoring chances, but he didn’t mess anything up in the defensive zone either.
Telling the Canucks he’s determined to transform his game into a penalty-killing role, he didn’t actually see any PK time in his debut, but he was solid enough in his own end to keep the puck off of the net. Zero shots against while he was on the ice and it didn’t matter who he was paired with, he looked good.
Playing more of a fill-in role when the top four needed a breather, Juolevi didn’t get many chances to showcase his skills, but at the same time, he’s not complaining. At the end of the day, he got his big moment, he didn’t cause problems for the Canucks, he never coughed up the puck, and hopefully, this is the first of many, many games for No. 48 in a Vancouver uniform.
Finals thoughts…
The Vancouver Canucks never quit. They believed in one another all the way from the opening puck drop to the first and final 11 seconds of the extra frame that saw Chris Tanev advance the Canucks to the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Clutch performances! The Canucks wait to see who they battle in the round of 16. Will it be the Stars of Dallas? Or will it be the defending Stanley Cup winners, the St. Louis Blues? Either way, Vancouver has completed their 50th season goal, and everything here on out is a huge bonus.
Canucks: 3 takeaways from massive game 3 win over Wild. dark. Next
Don’t be surprised if the Canucks keep surprising. They are Craig Button and Tom Gazzola’s darkhorse of the Western Conference after all. Stay tuned for a best-of-seven series everyone!