For the first time in a long time, Quinn Hughes didn’t lead the Vancouver Canucks in ice time.
At least, for the first time in a game where he didn’t get a stick to the face or a game misconduct. Apart from those two instances, this was the first time in over a month that Hughes has played fewer than 23 minutes in a game.
That’s the benefit of taking a three-goal lead early in the second period and carrying it into the third period: you don’t have to play the wheels off your best players.
Don’t get me wrong, Hughes still had 22:27 in ice time, which would be a lot for most defencemen. But Tyler Myers played 22:44, which is slightly more.
It wasn’t just the lead. The return of Derek Forbort to the lineup gave head coach Rick Tocchet a little more faith in his bottom pairing, which allowed him to share the ice time around on defence. Despite facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, who are one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL offensively, those defensive pairs were superb in their own end of the ice.
“I thought they were really scrappy tonight,” said head coach Rick Tocchet of his defence. “ I thought they were really good at boxing out. That's one of the best teams in the league at getting to the net — they've got some really heavy guys.”
Of course, the story of the game wasn’t about the return of Derek Forbort; it was the return of J.T. Miller. But Miller had a similar effect as Forbort on the forwards, helping them spread the minutes around.
“Getting Millsy back kind of slots everybody,” said Tocchet. “I think everybody got pretty well the same amount of ice time, which is nice.”
With a place for every forward and every forward in their place — as well as a multi-goal lead — Tocchet was able to roll all four lines and spread the ice time around, which helped ease Miller back into NHL action after missing ten games.
Fourth-liner Danton Heinen led all Canucks forwards in ice time, playing 14:45 at 5-on-5. The low-minute man at forward was Dakota Joshua, who played 10:30 at 5-on-5. That’s a gap in ice time of just over four minutes.
It felt like a glimpse of what this Canucks team was supposed to be at the start of the season: multiple forward lines contributing, the veteran defenceman signed in free agency anchoring the third pairing, and, of course, a star goaltender posting a shutout.
Only, the star goaltender wasn’t Thatcher Demko; it was Kevin Lankinen, which nobody saw coming at the start of the season. It was his third shutout of the season.
I thought to myself, “Oh, that's what the Canucks are supposed to look like,” when I watched this game.
- It was a helluva night for Max Sasson, who made a strong argument to stay up with the big club in his ninth game of the season. He created advantages with his speed all night and had the first multi-point game of his career with assists on the team’s first two goals, which also happened to be his first points on home ice, which gave him a thrill.
- “Honestly, I can’t lie, it was pretty cool hearing the announcer saying, ‘Assisted by Max Sasson,’” said Sasson with a wide grin on his face. “And then, obviously, the home crowd gives us a big boost. That was awesome.”
- On the opening goal, Sasson picked up a missed Panthers pass and burst the other way with his line. Teddy Blueger cut in front of him to commit some light interference, Sasson cut into the middle and set up the trailer, Carson Soucy, for a wide-open chance in the high slot. Soucy’s shot got some assistance from Aaron Ekblad’s stick to deflect up and over Sergei Bobrovsky.
- “I think everyone in the building could’ve heard Soucy yelling my name,” said Sasson. “He made it easy and then, obviously, a good shot — however it went in, it was a good shot.”
- For a moment, Sasson thought he had his first career goal, as a puck he sent towards Bobrovsky ended up in the back of the net after a couple of bounces. Instead, the rebound off Bobrovsky’s pad hit Danton Heinen’s skate and trickled in. Still, it was a great play off a 3-on-2 rush, as the fourth line kicked in offensively — just not with a kicking motion.
- “Yeah, I did think that for a second,” said Sasson, laughing. “I was just making sure, I think I gave [Heinen] a point or something. Heino was driving [the net] on both goals, honestly.”
- “Max, I love the fact that he wants to stay up,” said Tocchet. “He's doing everything he's asked to do. Gave him some ice time tonight and, if he can hold on to pucks, if he can be good defensively, there's a spot for him.”
- Sasson wasn’t the only fringe Canuck making noise against the Cup champs. Mark Friedman had a significant impact on the game and particularly on Eetu Luostarinen early in the second period. Luostarinen was seeing Luo-Starry-Night (pause for laughter) after a huge hit by Friedman.
- While Friedman was the low-minute man on defence between the whistles, he led the Canucks in ice time after the whistles. He was scrumming it up all night to get under the skin of the Panthers and took a few sticks up high for his troubles, to the point that it was surprising he didn’t draw any penalties, though Friedman himself suggested the refs may have gotten it right with the non-calls.
- “If I can do that and get them off their game just a little bit, then that’s what I love to do,” said Friedman, adding, “I was kind of throwing my head back a bit too much. Hopefully, the refs didn’t see.”
- Friedman’s hit on Luostarinen preceded the Canucks’ third goal of the game. Quinn Hughes retrieved the puck and sent J.T. Miller into the Panthers’ zone. Miller sent a lovely slip pass inside to Brock Boeser, whose initial shot went wide. The hockey gods were kind to Boeser in his 500th career game, however, and sent the puck bouncing off the boards and then the back of the net back to Boeser, who had a wide-open net as Bobrovsky lunged to the opposite side anticipating a very different bounce.
- That bounce to Boeser was the best bounce I’ve seen since Baywatch. You know, the jetskis bouncing on the waves as they speed off to rescue someone. The buoyancy is very satisfying.
- “It means a lot,” said Boeser about playing in his 500th game. “I’m very grateful. It’s a great league to play in and to do it in one city, it means a lot to me. I love this place.”
- With five minutes remaining in the second, the Panthers got away with an offside and immediately regretted it, as Dakota Joshua blocked Aaron Ekblad’s shot and jumped the other way to set up a Conor Garland chance. Ekblad was protesting nearly the whole way, probably saying, “But I was offside! Don’t let me get away with it!”
- The Rogers Arena crowd roared all night long for Miller, chanting his name at every opportunity. Miller’s two assists gave them some extra opportunities to do it. It was a picture-perfect return for Miller: a multi-point game, some carefully controlled ice time, and a 60% night in the faceoff circle. Oh, and also a subtle slash to the ankle of Matthew Tkachuk away from the play. Pretty much the Platonic Ideal of a J.T. Miller game.
- One of those faceoff wins helped the Canucks take a commanding 4-0 lead in the third period. It was a scrambled draw, with Boeser helping out his centre, then Miller fed Hughes at the point for a one-timer. Hughes didn’t get all of the puck, which ended up working out: the puck was rolling on end when it reached the net and ramped up Jake DeBrusk’s stick like Hughes was playing skeeball at Castle Fun Park.
- That’s DeBrusk’s 11th goal in his last 10 games and we’re starting to reach the point where maybe it’s not a hot streak at all; maybe this is DeBrusk’s new normal. If he scores at this pace the rest of the season, he’ll finish with 73 goals, which would be the most goals in a season since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny scored 76 goals in 1992-93. Seems like a pretty reasonable expectation to me.
- Kevin Lankinen deserved the shutout but the Canucks’ defensive effort certainly made it a little bit easier than it could have been against the high-scoring Panthers. The Canucks limited them to just 27 shots on goal and a bare handful of grade-A chances. It might have been the most complete defensive effort of the season.
- “I’ve got to give them a lot of credit,” said Lankinen. “Just making sure the sightlines were there — even if they were sending pucks, I could see the puck — clearing rebounds, clearing sticks. I think we defended the house really well tonight. I’m really proud of the D corps and the team as a whole.”
- One of the few defensive breakdowns came in the third period when Friedman and Hughes both moved to check the same man, leaving Niko Mikkola alone in front. Lankinen made a great save on his fellow Finn but also, Mikkola has a grand total of 10 career goals in 282 games, so maybe we should adjust the threat level from orange to yellow.
- Still, that’s the first time all season that the Panthers have been held without a goal. That’s significant, with both Lankinen and the skaters deserving credit. That’s the type of game the Canucks can hang their collective hat on.
- “I thought they defended hard around their net and the rest of it was watching paint dry,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. In other words, Rick Tocchet’s ideal game.
