Dakota Joshua described it as a 香蕉视频直播榮pectacle香蕉视频直播�. Quinn Hughes said it was 香蕉视频直播榚lectric香蕉视频直播�.
It was the atmosphere at Rogers Arena as playoff hockey returned to Vancouver for the first time in nine years on Sunday night.
The Vancouver Canucks didn香蕉视频直播檛 disappoint the sell-out crowd of 18,967 as they scored three third period goals 香蕉视频直播� the last one into an empty net 香蕉视频直播� to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in game one of their first-round playoff series.
香蕉视频直播淲hen we came out on the ice today it was probably one of the more special things I香蕉视频直播檝e been a part of other than the birth of my children and my wedding. It香蕉视频直播檚 hard not to get choked up when you see that,香蕉视频直播� J.T. Miller said after the game.
香蕉视频直播淭hat literally is everything 香蕉视频直播� that emotion, that noise and the towels. If you can香蕉视频直播檛 get up for that, you have something wrong with you. That was amazing. Once the first couple of shifts subsided, it was nice to settle in and play the game but I think I got a different perspective of what hockey means to these people here.香蕉视频直播�
Despite the energy in the building, it was the Predators who opened the scoring on a goal by Jason Zucker at 16:15 of the first period and led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play,
The Canucks battled back with an early second period goal by Elias Lindholm 0:47 seconds into the period but Ryan O香蕉视频直播橰eilly香蕉视频直播檚 goal on the power play at 10:46 gave the Preds a 2-1 lead after forty minutes.
After Nashville went ahead, the Canucks came to a fork in the road.
Do they succumb to the pressure, press and make a mistake to give Nashville a 3-1 lead? Or do they hold steady until an opportunity arises?
Luckily for Canuck Nation it was the latter on this night as Pius Suter scored at 8:59 and then Joshua scored 12 seconds later to give the Canucks a lead they wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 relinquish. Joshua added an empty netter at 18:32 to clinch the win.
In a way, the Canucks had been preparing for this situation 香蕉视频直播� and for this game 香蕉视频直播� all season long.
Since training camp, Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet has preached to stay 香蕉视频直播榚ven keel香蕉视频直播� and to be patient in critical situations.
Being down 2-1 at home in your first playoff game with an amped up crowd tested that mantra and the Canucks passed the test.
香蕉视频直播淚t helped a lot. We香蕉视频直播檝e been working on it all year. We香蕉视频直播檝e talked countless times throughout the season exactly for moments like this. It香蕉视频直播檚 what we have been building for 香蕉视频直播� how to approach it physically and mentally. When things go bad or go well, it should be even-keel and they guys did a good job tonight,香蕉视频直播� stated Tyler Myers.
香蕉视频直播淲e could have pressed and got off our game but we didn香蕉视频直播檛. We played strong, mature hockey. We let the game come to us and we didn香蕉视频直播檛 give them too much. We knew we were going to have our looks,香蕉视频直播� said Hughes.
You can talk scheme, you can talk Corsi or PDO or whatever other analytical data you can uncover but the game is decided in the purest form 香蕉视频直播� winning one-on-one puck battles 香蕉视频直播� and it was a key in the Canucks success on Sunday night. Whether it was winning that battle in the defensive zone to start the rush as was the case in the first two Canuck goals or whether it was Lindholm and Conor Garland doing the dirty work to set up Joshua香蕉视频直播檚 game winner, having the will to win that one-on-one is paramount to success.
香蕉视频直播淚t all starts somewhere on the ice 香蕉视频直播� winning a one-on-one battle. All the goals are scored like that no matter what zone it香蕉视频直播檚 in. That香蕉视频直播檚 how a lot of goals are going to be scored in the playoffs. I just take pride in trying to win every battle I香蕉视频直播檓 in,香蕉视频直播� stated Joshua.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of times off the forecheck you get one chance to keep the puck and if you win that battle and get the puck to the 香蕉视频直播楧香蕉视频直播� that could start a thirty second shift 香蕉视频直播� or two or three shifts in a row - in their end. It香蕉视频直播檚 a big play and we talk about it all the time. If you lose that puck battle that might mean that shift you香蕉视频直播檙e playing defense. We take a lot of pride in those and it香蕉视频直播檚 something we can even be better at,香蕉视频直播� explained Miller.
As for Tocchet, he was happy with his team香蕉视频直播檚 performance in the puck battles, but as always, saw areas in which the Canucks could improve in.
香蕉视频直播淚t was good. I think there香蕉视频直播檚 another level. I think our edge battles off the draws 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 one thing I think we香蕉视频直播檝e got to improve on. I think that has to be improved. It was a pretty low-event game in some respect but I think some of the chances they got were off (winning) draws,香蕉视频直播� said Tocchet.
OVERTIME
* Thatcher Demko made 20 saves 香蕉视频直播� including an incredible save of Nashville香蕉视频直播檚 Anthony Beauvillier two minutes into the game. Demko came sprawling across his crease and got his right leg out to stop Beauvillier香蕉视频直播檚 back door re-direct attempt. Nashville香蕉视频直播檚 Juuse Saros made 17 saves in a losing effort.
* Vancouver was 0-2 on the power play while Nashville was 1-4.
* Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette is confident his team will bounce back in game two Tuesday night at Rogers Arena. 香蕉视频直播淚 think this group has been resilient. We香蕉视频直播檝e handled adversity all year. I think to a man we probably didn香蕉视频直播檛 play our best but we香蕉视频直播檝e done a really good job of just moving straight ahead. Just forget about it - rinse it. It was a fun game香蕉视频直播 was proud of our group -how they handled it early and how we started 香蕉视频直播� in my mind 香蕉视频直播� to take the game over but we just didn香蕉视频直播檛 finish the job. So lesson learned. It香蕉视频直播檚 a long series and we can香蕉视频直播檛 wait for the next game.香蕉视频直播�
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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