The 30th-ranked Sabres were 13 points shy of a wild-card playoff position with eight teams to pass. But they came back to beat the Vancouver on Tuesday night.
Who were we kidding?
If subduing the struggling Buffalo Sabres was the only thing at play Tuesday, it would be just another day at Rogers Arena.
“Worry about your job and the team identity and what you can do to help the team win,” stressed the Canucks head coach. “If you start thinking about other stuff, it’s dangerous for players. Whether who’s at fault, it’s kind of crept into the locker-room and then you get uneven play.
“You’ve got to be strong mentally.”
Shots, shots, shots, shots
The call to not only load up but get a higher-percentage shots to the net was imperative against the Sabres. They’ve been giant killers with recent wins over the league-leading Washington Capitals and perennial powerhouse Carolina Hurricanes.
The Canucks rank last in shots with an average of 25.1 per outing. With 20 after two periods, it looked like hitting the 30-shot plateau for just the second time in the last 22 games seemed plausible. They did get 32 but need one more to find the mark with Demko pulled to force overtime.
Thirteen shots in the second period and better net presence applied some pressure.
Thompson keeps taking aim
It’s not that towering winger Tage Thompson had something to prove after piling up 117 goals in the last three seasons. He’s just making good point about a snub.
He should be on the Team USA roster for the 4-Nations Face-Off tournament next month in Montreal and Boston.
Thompson’ scored his team-leading 21st goal of this season in the first period when he manoeuvred into the high slot and whipped a quick wrist shot past Demko on the stick side to open the scoring.
It came after Thompson earlier used his size and smarts to spin and set up Kulich for a Grade A slot shot. Thompson also fended off a checker to try a shovel a puck past Demko. And midway through the second period, Thompson had another good look but his stick snapped.
Friedman’s simple plan perfect
The recalled Mark Friedman knew what to do in a pairing with Hughes.
“Play a simple game, be reliable and a pain to play against,” he said. “And it’s what he can do to help me. He’s so good. I’ve just go to get him the puck because he can pretty much do it all. He just makes it so easy.
“It’s a big opportunity and I’m old enough (29) to know where I have to take advantage of it. Every day in the NHL is a good day, man, and you can’t take them for granted. I know these opportunities don’t come very often.”
Friedman boxed out well down low because he’s always had that gritty side to his game, but it’s more controlled and more effective. That’s were 93 games with three NHL teams and keeping his game sharp in the AHL with Abbotsford have helped.
In the second period, Friedman hustled back and did a good job angling off a Sabres forward as Hughes took a holding minor.
Suspensions ramp up rematch rhetoric
Three games for Myers. Three games for Connor McDavid.
Everything from pouting about a lack of protection for a star player in McDavid to putting Garland in the crosshairs of substantial criticism.
Myers took ownership of his high stick to the face of Bouchard. And Garland came clean about trying to pin a superstar to the ice in hopes that they would draw minor infractions. It would keep the Oilers’ captain from tying the game in the dying seconds.
“It was just unfortunate and it’s a tough job for the referees,” said Tocchet. “I just don’t like the grandstanding to protect this and that. It is what it is. I don’t want McDavid to get suspended. We’re playing them (Thursday) and you want to play the best.
“He’s terrific for our league and an unbelievable kid from what I’ve been told on how he works at his game. And his feel for the game. It (suspension) happened and you deal with it. It’s the same thing with Myers.
“Really hard to sit on the couch and rip everybody. I have a real tough time with that. A lot of people are grandstanding and ripping the refs. There were a couple of holds that were missed and then the high sticks and we can go back and forth. We’ve got to move on from this.
“Garland just wants to win. When there’s 10 seconds left, sometimes you’re supposed to do that and start grabbing and holding people. Nothing wrong with that strategy and he also got punched in the head, too. It’s tit-for-tat.
“Everybody is blowing this out of proportion. Move on.”