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含羞草研究社檚 building in a series isn含羞草研究社檛 easy but that含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝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,含羞草研究社� said Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet. 含羞草研究社淭his is a tough building. We know that there were a couple of games there that maybe we didn含羞草研究社檛 deserve (to win) - just like game five (which) we thought we deserved. It含羞草研究社檚 one of those series that it really doesn含羞草研究社檛 matter (who plays better), it含羞草研究社檚 who wins the game.含羞草研究社�
Tocchet makes a great point in the sense that the team playing the better game hasn含羞草研究社檛 necessarily been rewarded in this series.
Coaches talk about following the process and that the results eventually will be there. But that含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檛 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含羞草研究社檛 get out of your own game according to Tocchet.
含羞草研究社淭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含羞草研究社檚 0-0 late in the game 含羞草研究社� even if it含羞草研究社檚 1-0 going into the third 含羞草研究社� you have to be very comfortable playing in that (type of game). You have to buy your time for your chances,含羞草研究社� he explained.
含羞草研究社淪ometimes I think when you want to close out, you push the envelope too much. The next thing you know you含羞草研究社檙e giving up odd-man rushes, power plays and things like that.含羞草研究社�
Desperation is one thing that Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette liked about his team after game five in Vancouver.
含羞草研究社淚 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含羞草研究社檚 been like that in every game this series,含羞草研究社� said Brunette.
The Canucks also see some areas in which they can be better in according to Nikita Zadorov.
含羞草研究社淥bviously it sucks to lose but it含羞草研究社檚 part of the game. Nobody said it含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檙e taking it day-by-day. We watched some video and there are some things we can improve on for sure,含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 4-3 victory.
OVERTIME:
* Tocchet refused to name a starter in goal for game six simply stating that the club 含羞草研究社渋s still working through that含羞草研究社� 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. 含羞草研究社淗e (Silovs) has got to know better. He has to know he含羞草研究社檚 not in a nightclub in Riga, Latvia,含羞草研究社� chuckled Zadorov.
* Rogers Arena will host another viewing party for game six. 含羞草研究社淭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含羞草研究社檚 time to fill Rogers Arena, welcome everyone in, and wave those towels.含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渢he Moj含羞草研究社� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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