Dakota Joshua described it as a 含羞草研究社榮pectacle含羞草研究社�. Quinn Hughes said it was 含羞草研究社榚lectric含羞草研究社�.
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含羞草研究社檛 disappoint the sell-out crowd of 18,967 as they scored three third period goals 含羞草研究社� the last one into an empty net 含羞草研究社� to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in game one of their first-round playoff series.
含羞草研究社淲hen we came out on the ice today it was probably one of the more special things I含羞草研究社檝e been a part of other than the birth of my children and my wedding. It含羞草研究社檚 hard not to get choked up when you see that,含羞草研究社� J.T. Miller said after the game.
含羞草研究社淭hat literally is everything 含羞草研究社� that emotion, that noise and the towels. If you can含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�
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含羞草研究社橰eilly含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檛 relinquish. Joshua added an empty netter at 18:32 to clinch the win.
In a way, the Canucks had been preparing for this situation 含羞草研究社� and for this game 含羞草研究社� all season long.
Since training camp, Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet has preached to stay 含羞草研究社榚ven keel含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淚t helped a lot. We含羞草研究社檝e been working on it all year. We含羞草研究社檝e talked countless times throughout the season exactly for moments like this. It含羞草研究社檚 what we have been building for 含羞草研究社� 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,含羞草研究社� stated Tyler Myers.
含羞草研究社淲e could have pressed and got off our game but we didn含羞草研究社檛. We played strong, mature hockey. We let the game come to us and we didn含羞草研究社檛 give them too much. We knew we were going to have our looks,含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社� winning one-on-one puck battles 含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 game winner, having the will to win that one-on-one is paramount to success.
含羞草研究社淚t all starts somewhere on the ice 含羞草研究社� winning a one-on-one battle. All the goals are scored like that no matter what zone it含羞草研究社檚 in. That含羞草研究社檚 how a lot of goals are going to be scored in the playoffs. I just take pride in trying to win every battle I含羞草研究社檓 in,含羞草研究社� stated Joshua.
含羞草研究社淎 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 含羞草研究社楧含羞草研究社� that could start a thirty second shift 含羞草研究社� or two or three shifts in a row - in their end. It含羞草研究社檚 a big play and we talk about it all the time. If you lose that puck battle that might mean that shift you含羞草研究社檙e playing defense. We take a lot of pride in those and it含羞草研究社檚 something we can even be better at,含羞草研究社� explained Miller.
As for Tocchet, he was happy with his team含羞草研究社檚 performance in the puck battles, but as always, saw areas in which the Canucks could improve in.
含羞草研究社淚t was good. I think there含羞草研究社檚 another level. I think our edge battles off the draws 含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 one thing I think we含羞草研究社檝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,含羞草研究社� said Tocchet.
OVERTIME
* Thatcher Demko made 20 saves 含羞草研究社� including an incredible save of Nashville含羞草研究社檚 Anthony Beauvillier two minutes into the game. Demko came sprawling across his crease and got his right leg out to stop Beauvillier含羞草研究社檚 back door re-direct attempt. Nashville含羞草研究社檚 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. 含羞草研究社淚 think this group has been resilient. We含羞草研究社檝e handled adversity all year. I think to a man we probably didn含羞草研究社檛 play our best but we含羞草研究社檝e done a really good job of just moving straight ahead. Just forget about it - rinse it. It was a fun game含羞草研究社 was proud of our group -how they handled it early and how we started 含羞草研究社� in my mind 含羞草研究社� to take the game over but we just didn含羞草研究社檛 finish the job. So lesson learned. It含羞草研究社檚 a long series and we can含羞草研究社檛 wait for the next game.含羞草研究社�
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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