The Vancouver Canucks have a formidable task at hand heading into Nashville for game six of their first-round playoff series on Friday.
Winning three games in another team香蕉视频直播檚 building in a series isn香蕉视频直播檛 easy but that香蕉视频直播檚 what the Canucks are looking to do as they try to clinch their first playoff series win since 2011.
They return knowing that despite not playing well in games three and four, they still managed to come out with a pair of victories.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been a pretty good road team (27-9-5) all year, so I think we are comfortable playing outside our building. Sometimes we actually play better on the road,香蕉视频直播� said Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet. 香蕉视频直播淭his is a tough building. We know that there were a couple of games there that maybe we didn香蕉视频直播檛 deserve (to win) - just like game five (which) we thought we deserved. It香蕉视频直播檚 one of those series that it really doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter (who plays better), it香蕉视频直播檚 who wins the game.香蕉视频直播�
Tocchet makes a great point in the sense that the team playing the better game hasn香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily been rewarded in this series.
Coaches talk about following the process and that the results eventually will be there. But that香蕉视频直播檚 also over the course of an 82-game season. In a small sample size such as a best-of-seven game series, sometimes it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter if you did follow the process and played well, your season could be over.
The Canucks just hope that they are on the right side of the equation when it all adds up.
To eliminate Nashville, the Canucks will have to walk a fine line.
You have to match the intensity of your opponent, yet at the same time, you can香蕉视频直播檛 get out of your own game according to Tocchet.
香蕉视频直播淭he desperation of the other team is a big one. I think you have to match it and you have to be comfortable in a tight game. I think that is really important. If it香蕉视频直播檚 0-0 late in the game 香蕉视频直播� even if it香蕉视频直播檚 1-0 going into the third 香蕉视频直播� you have to be very comfortable playing in that (type of game). You have to buy your time for your chances,香蕉视频直播� he explained.
香蕉视频直播淪ometimes I think when you want to close out, you push the envelope too much. The next thing you know you香蕉视频直播檙e giving up odd-man rushes, power plays and things like that.香蕉视频直播�
Desperation is one thing that Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette liked about his team after game five in Vancouver.
香蕉视频直播淚 think we could be better in all kinds of different areas. The one area we did bring an A+ was desperation. We had guys blocking shots. We had guys diving in front of shots. I thought we lived up to our billing of being relentless. Going down one, we kept pushing back and the belief in the group was there. It was a game of margins again and it香蕉视频直播檚 been like that in every game this series,香蕉视频直播� said Brunette.
The Canucks also see some areas in which they can be better in according to Nikita Zadorov.
香蕉视频直播淥bviously it sucks to lose but it香蕉视频直播檚 part of the game. Nobody said it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be easy. Nobody said it was going to be (over in) four or five games. It could take seven games to win the series, so we香蕉视频直播檙e taking it day-by-day. We watched some video and there are some things we can improve on for sure,香蕉视频直播� noted the Canuck defenseman.
The winner of the series will face the Edmonton Oilers in the second round. The Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings four-games-to-one by virtue of Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 4-3 victory.
OVERTIME:
* Tocchet refused to name a starter in goal for game six simply stating that the club 香蕉视频直播渋s still working through that香蕉视频直播� during his media availability session in Nashville but also added that he will have made a decision as of Thursday night.
* The Canucks were a loose group during their Thursday practice in Nashville. J.T. Miller hit the ice wearing goaltender Arturs Silovs dress shirt, which we will describe as peachy. 香蕉视频直播淗e (Silovs) has got to know better. He has to know he香蕉视频直播檚 not in a nightclub in Riga, Latvia,香蕉视频直播� chuckled Zadorov.
* Rogers Arena will host another viewing party for game six. 香蕉视频直播淭he response and reaction from fans who attended the first Rogers Away Game Viewing Party showed us that Canucks fans are so excited for every minute of playoff action. It香蕉视频直播檚 time to fill Rogers Arena, welcome everyone in, and wave those towels.香蕉视频直播� said Michael Doyle, President of Canucks Sports & Entertainment in a prepared statement.
* The Abbotsford Canucks lost game one of their AHL Pacific Division semi-final to the Ontario Reign by a score of 3-1 on Wednesday in California. Game two goes Sunday in Ontario with the series shifting to Abbotsford on Wednesday, May 8 and Friday, May 10 (if necessary).
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 香蕉视频直播渢he Moj香蕉视频直播� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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