Canucks: 3 takeaways from Game 2 win over Golden Knights

The Vancouver Canucks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 in Game 2 of their second-round series evening the best-of-seven at one win apiece.

After a 5-0 loss in game 1, the Vancouver Canucks were looking to bounce back after a poor performance. It’s safe to say they bounced back in a very big way tonight and this team has been very good at bouncing back after losses in the postseason.

The Canucks looked like a completely different team in Game 2 in the first. The passes were connecting, Vegas’ top-six wasn’t getting any good chances, and the Canucks were displaying some good puck movement.

Vegas looked like the team from Game 1 in the second frame but the Canucks managed to not let them do significant damage and they didn’t allow the Golden Knights get close to tying the game in the third.

Overall, the Canucks did a really good job in matching Vegas’ speed and intensity in Game 2, and head coach Travis Green deserves some credit for adjusting and matching up his lines against the Golden Knights’ top players.

Loui Eriksson was a healthy scratch because Tyler Toffoli made his return to the lineup after missing 10-games. He drew in on the top line next to Elias Pettersson and Tanner Pearson.

Also of note, the Canucks set a postseason franchise record with 40 blocked shots in a playoff game. Vancouver wasn’t going to just roll over and let Vegas take this series so easily.

Here are three takeaways from tonight’s fast-paced hockey game.

Tyler Toffoli makes an instant impact

It didn’t take long for Toffoli to make an impact after missing 10 games. It was almost like he was never hurt in the first place.

Just nine seconds into his first shift of the game, Toffoli opened the scoring. It was not before an amazing setup from Pettersson with maximum effort to create space for Toffoli on the doorstep. After receiving the pass from Quinn Hughes, Pettersson turned on the jets as he sped through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone as he got around defenders and made no mistake passing the puck to Toffoli with a quick wrap around. His all-star presence was enough to get Toffoli’s defender to bite on the shot rather than cover the passing lane.

It was Toffoli’s first goal of the playoffs and he wasted no time getting it.

Toffoli wasn’t done for the night though. He got an assist on the second goal as well. That one came on the power play as Pettersson played the puck by the boards, passed it to Toffoli who was behind the net and he made no mistake feeding it to Bo Horvat who buried it past Robin Lehner with a quick shot.

Toffoli added a second assist on Pettersson’s goal – an absolutely beautiful goal – one that you often see in the shootout, he just had the time out front to make the move and embarrass Lehner.

After being out of the lineup for quite some time, Toffoli was eager to get back out on the ice. He wasted no time making an impact, just like he did when he was first acquired by Jim Benning. He’s been the perfect fit to complement the Canucks’ top-six.

Bo knows goals

Horvat scored two goals tonight and it seems he likes having multi-goal games having done so on more than one occasion in the postseason. With his two goals, Horvat now leads the NHL playoffs goal-scoring race with eight.

Horvat’s second goal came 18 seconds into the third period. Alex Edler’s shot was blocked but  Brock Boeser got a hold of the loose puck and made a nice backhand pass on a trickling puck across the ice to a ready and waiting Horvat. He made no mistake putting it home and securing a three-goal lead.

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Horvat’s goals weren’t the only things that helped the Canucks win. He had a solid game all throughout. The captain was good on the backcheck and helped break up the Golden Knights passes while they were entering the Canucks zone. He also was very good in the faceoff circle going 20/25.

Horvat put up an absurd 80% winning rate and according to NHL’s website he’s won 59.4% of faceoffs taken which leads all players still in the playoffs. He also has won the most faceoffs in total with 177 wins.

Horvat’s two-way game was on display tonight and he has been very good in the postseason so far. He played the game as a captain should and he’s filled the skates of Henrik Sedin quite nicely.