Canucks gameday: Sudden death matchup vs. Golden Knights

After being down 3-1 in the series, the Vancouver Canucks have scratched and clawed their way into a Game 7. Now it all comes down to one final showdown.

The Vancouver Canucks have beaten the odds. After being defeated in a Game 4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, nobody thought it would be possible for the Canucks to battle back into this series down 3-1 to one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. Yet, here we are.

With a big thank you to rookie goaltender Thatcher Demko — who has stopped 90 of 91 shots against him in the last two wins — It all comes down to one final game. Nothing else matters except the final score of a Friday night Game 7.

The underdogs of this series and quite possibly the entire 2020 NHL Playoffs as well, have done whatever it takes to win and they’re starting to remind people of the 1994 Vancouver team. We all remember, don’t we? After being down 3-1 to the Calgary Flames, Trevor Linden and company marched back, forced a Game 7, and “The Russian Rocket” Pavel Bure ended it in overtime.

It’s one of the greatest moments in franchise history and we all know what happened afterward. Believing in themselves the Canucks went all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in incredible fashion. Could we be seeing another miracle in the making? It sure feels that way.

Of course, the Canucks will need another jaw-dropping performance from the San Diego, California goaltender. They’ll need goals on the man-advantage. They’ll need the bottom-six to produce. They’ll need the perfect game. And it can happen. Up to this point, they’ve proved everybody wrong.

Keys to winning this game

• The goalie sporting a 0.990 save percentage will need to do it all again. Coming off two 40+ save performances, you can only hope he got a good night’s sleep ahead of tonight’s back-to-back. Yet again, it’s the biggest game of his career and he’ll want to be sharp.
• The defense in front of Demko must remain strong. He’ll be tired and in need of help keeping the puck out. Vegas has been all over the Canucks defensive end and Vancouver needs to find a way to turn the tides and put pressure on the Golden Knights.
• The power play must find ways to convert when given the opportunity. Vegas has much better possession numbers along with an impressive Corsi For. The best way for the Canucks to get ahead in this game is to get the League’s second-best power play rolling.
• The captain needs to step up to the plate and lead the charge. I’ve never seen a Game 7 on a back-to-back in my life, and the boys will be tired. They’ve shown not to be the best team on nights like this, so it’s up to No. 53 to make sure his team comes ready to win.

Players to watch

Elias Pettersson: He didn’t get on the score sheet in Game 6, but he played a major factor in the win. His positioning without the puck was grade-A causing two goals with the perfect screening of Robin Lehner. Look for him to not only be effective away from the puck, but he’ll be hungry to score goals and send the Canucks to the Western Conference Finals.

Marc-Andre Fleury: He’s been to the Stanley Cup Finals 5 times in his career. He knows what it’s like to play in big pressure situations. The starter for Vegas has yet to be named, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take the net in a big game like this. He’ll have the upper hand on Demko in terms of rest and experience.

Quinn Hughes: The rookie defender keeps shattering records and doing things people haven’t seen in years. He’s completely 100% confident in his abilities, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him dropping jaws all over the world tonight. He was solid in Game 6, but there is still more to give on his end offensively. He’ll be a big part of this game, win or lose.

Prediction

I never thought the Canucks would have made it this far. They’ve been playing with house money for a while now, but each time they get knocked down, they get right back up and stick it to the doubters. It won’t come easy, but I believe the Canucks have what it takes to open the floodgates on the Vegas Golden Knights. They are hungry, they are determined, and all the pressure rests on the shoulders of Vegas.

Expect I high-paced, heavy-hitting, all-out performance from both sides. I’ll say Vancouver turns the tide and gets under the skin the whoever is in net for the Knights. This game will need OT (because is there really any other way to do it?), and it’ll be a 5-4 win for the Canucks.

“Brown, ahead to Bure…”

I mean, “Hughes, ahead to a wide-open Pettersson! He’s in… he shoots… he scores!”

In all seriousness, no matter what happens tonight… It’s a great time to be a fan of the Vancouver Canucks. They’ve been one heck of an exciting team to watch. The chemistry in the locker room is on the next level. Their reign of terror is only just beginning. No matter what happens tonight. Get your popcorn ready folks, this game could be one for the history books.