Canucks 2, Capitals 1: All hail Quinn Hughes

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So far as we all know, Quinn Hughes nonetheless desires to be a Vancouver Canuck.

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And thank goodness for that as a result of within the midst of this depressing season, the Canucks’ captain is placing collectively one of many nice all-time seasons by a defenceman.

It’s been a blessing, it’s given us one thing to observe, but in addition miserable because it ought to add as much as a lot extra.

Dealing with up in opposition to the workforce with probably the most factors within the NHL to this point this season, you figured this gained’t go properly given how badly the remainder of the week has gone.

However that is additionally Saturday night time, and if there’s one factor the Canucks have managed to do that season, it’s play properly on Saturday nights.

Remarkably, the Canucks at the moment are 8-2-2 on Saturday nights.

That included spectacular wins the earlier two Saturdays over the Oilers and the Leafs.

Now this win wasn’t fairly as spectacular as these video games, however it was a win and that’s all that issues.

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Hughes scored each Canucks targets as the house workforce floor out a 2-0 lead in opposition to the Washington Capitals, who got here into this sport having gained six straight video games.

That purpose

Hughes’ first purpose was a outstanding feat of ability. He attacked a niche within the Capitals’ zone protection and with an nearly supernatural understanding of the three-dimensional house between him and the purpose, lifted an ideal backhand shot in the direction of the purpose and previous a helpless Charlie Lindgren.

It was as magical as Hughes has been this season.

“That was wonderful. It was excellent,” J.T. Miller mentioned. “Whenever you’re enjoying like that, you’re not even considering you’re simply enjoying, you’re simply making the play in entrance of you.”

Elias Pettersson the defenceman, enjoying his first NHL sport, was in awe.

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“I used to be shocked,” he mentioned, with a large smile. “It was an unbelievable purpose.”

Unbelievable, maybe, in the event you didn’t see it with your personal eyes.

The purpose was precisely the form of play Rick Tocchet says he’s been encouraging his workforce to go after.

“When he will get the puck he assaults the within,” Tocchet mentioned. “He’s not scared to go the inside. That’s the way you rating targets.”

It’s one thing that Tocchet is aware of he and his assistants actually must press on his workforce about: that’s what they need to do. They did it fairly properly final 12 months, in spite of everything.

“We’re attempting to dive into that. I don’t know if it’s a confidence factor. I don’t knoww what it’s, however as coaches, we’ve acquired to maintain preaching it. We acquired to follow it. … We’ve acquired to essentially, actually harp that greater than ever.”

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An eighth time on Saturdays

None of Rick Tocchet, J.T. Miller nor Kevin Lankinen knew the Canucks’ Saturday night time document was so good.

“That’s a cool stat,” Lankinen mentioned, pausing. “That’s a extremely cool stat.”

“Saturday night time’s, the very best time to play hockey anyway.”

That’s additionally three Saturdays in a row the place the Canucks have defeated high opponents.

“Perhaps the environment? It’s slightly extra heightened sport and we’re enjoying good groups, so possibly it brings the very best out of us? I don’t know,” Miller mentioned.

Tocchet mentioned regardless of the general struggles of the season, it didn’t shock him to study that his workforce had performed so properly on Saturdays.

“I’m simply glad we gained.”

Minute muncher

Hughes performs big minutes each night time.

And but once more he was the Canucks’ minutes chief.

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The Canucks persistently get out of hassle when he’s on the ice.

After which there are nights like this one the place he scores two targets and is the whole offence.

Mediocre offence

This was a boring sport at each ends of the ice.

The Capitals are the NHL’s finest defensive workforce by targets in opposition to.

They gave little away to Vancouver. And the Canucks, who’ve had some defensive struggles these days, had been stout at their finish of the ice too.

“I assumed performed slightly quicker. I assumed our breakouts had been higher, like that was one thing we labored on yesterday,” Rick Tocchet mentioned. “You understand, I assumed, we had slightly little bit of depth from all people … That win hopefully offers us confidence.”

All hail Lankinen

If there’s a vice-MVP this season, it’s Kevin Lankinen, as everybody is aware of.

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It’s due to video games like this one the place he got here up huge on the few moments he wanted to.

There have been a pair goalmouth scrambles the place he coated the purpose line properly and kicked away issues properly.

Dedication

J.T. Miller’s time as a Canuck could also be numbered, however he’s nonetheless discovering moments. They haven’t been each night time, however he was fairly good on this one.

One of the best second was him laying out for a block within the sport’s closing moments, taking a shot away from Jakob Chychrun, the Washington blueliner who was hammering away level photographs with abandon.

Dubois loves the Canucks

Pierre-Luc Dubois has simply 10 targets this season: three are in opposition to Vancouver.

NEXT GAME

Monday