It含羞草研究社檚 a story that has flown under the radar for the Vancouver Canucks.
While fans and media alike take note of the team含羞草研究社檚 overall play or the offensive exploits of Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser or Elias Pettersson, the team含羞草研究社檚 penalty kill unit has quietly been on a serious heater.
Despite giving up a first-period power play goal to the St. Louis Blues Wednesday night at Rogers Arena, the special teams unit came up big in the second period and allowed the Canucks to get back into the game which they would eventually lose 4-3 in overtime.
With the Blues enjoying a 2-0 lead early in the second, Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Andrei Kuzmenko drew a four-minute minor for high-sticking St. Louis含羞草研究社� Sammy Blais. The Canucks, however, killed off the penalty and avoided being down 3-0.
含羞草研究社淭hat was huge. They score there含羞草研究社ho knows? 3-0? I felt after we killed that off, I saw a lot of juice on the bench. That含羞草研究社檚 why I thought we got back in the game. A lot of guys were excited after we killed those four minutes,含羞草研究社� Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet noted afterwards.
In reality, the penalty kill unit has been 含羞草研究社榟uge含羞草研究社� for the Canucks over the course of the last 20 games. During that time, they have killed 52 of 59 opposing power plays for an amazing 88.1% efficiency rate, which is actually better than the league-leading rate (87.5%) the L.A. Kings have over the season.
And when you look at where this unit was a year ago, it含羞草研究社檚 even more amazing.
When Bruce Boudreau was relieved from his duties as head coach of the Canucks on January 22nd, 2023 the penalty kill was running at a 67.2% clip. To give you an idea of how bad that really is, the worst penalty kill rate in NHL history belongs to the 1979-80 Kings, who finished at 68.2%.
So what含羞草研究社檚 happened?
含羞草研究社淲e are running around a lot less,含羞草研究社� responded defenseman Tyler Myers when asked about the difference between this year and last. 含羞草研究社淚 think at the start of the year we were still trying to figure each other out as a PK unit. We were running around a bit too much and we opened up some plays for the other team. I think now we are doing a good job of when to be patient and when to pressure. Those reads have got better as the season has gone on and we just need to keep going with it because it含羞草研究社檚 working for us.含羞草研究社�
An argument can be made that the improved performance can be attributed to better personnel but Tocchet is quick to note that assistant coach Mike Yeo has made a significant impact with the unit.
含羞草研究社淚 think Mike Yeo has done a great job with the structure part in teaching them the principles of it. I think we are getting good groupings with Teddy (Blueger) and Dakota (Joshua). Then you have (Nils) Aman and Suts (Pius Sutter), Petey and Mikheyev when we need them and Millsy has been getting some big draws. I think it含羞草研究社檚 just a lot of confidence. Now we just have to work on our clears. If we get better with our clears, we are really going to take off even more. That含羞草研究社檚 probably the one thing where we are a little bit on the average side,含羞草研究社� said Tocchet.
含羞草研究社淗e (Yeo) shows us clips every day of what we did well or what we didn含羞草研究社檛 do well as a team and then we get into what they (the opposition) like to run. By the time we get out there, we know what含羞草研究社檚 coming for the most part. There含羞草研究社檚 not a lot of curveballs that they can throw at us,含羞草研究社� said Joshua.
The Canucks will adhere to their structure which includes focusing on taking away passing lanes with good positioning and stick placement. They will also try to take away the most dangerous option and try to channel everything to the outside.
含羞草研究社淚t makes a lot easier for the goalies when they know where the shot is coming from and taking away the back doors have been a big key,含羞草研究社� explained Joshua.
As mentioned, Yeo and the unit will meet for video work in an effort to scout opposition tendencies but in the end, no one is re-inventing the wheel when it comes to power play schemes according to Joshua.
含羞草研究社淚 think everyone is comfortable with the diamond that we run. There are only so many power play sets that you can run, so I feel that we have a good read on what sets teams are coming in with,含羞草研究社� said Joshua.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 simple. At some point, the other team is going to two-on-one someone and taking away the best option is the best thing you can do in those situations. Reading when to pressure and when not pressure is such a big part of it. We are also doing a good job of not over-extending ourselves and opening things up,含羞草研究社� said Myers.
And as Suter is quick to point out, you have to make the opposition earn their opportunities.
含羞草研究社淵ou want to make them make three or four good plays to get a chance 含羞草研究社� not just one pass and they have a grade 含羞草研究社楢含羞草研究社�. That含羞草研究社檚 the key to any system 含羞草研究社� try to make them beat you with a couple of plays in a row. You含羞草研究社檙e not giving them any easy chances,含羞草研究社� said Suter.
Another big key for the success is trust, whether it含羞草研究社檚 trusting the scheme or your teammates.
含羞草研究社淭he comfortability and trust with one another 含羞草研究社� knowing when to pressure and when to stay within the system - goes a long a way,含羞草研究社� explained Joshua.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e playing a lot better positionally and within our structure. Whether it含羞草研究社檚 that we just needed time to get used to it or get used to each other含羞草研究社檚 tendencies but we are putting ourselves in a much better position and not giving the power play 含羞草研究社楢含羞草研究社� chances,含羞草研究社� added Myers.
OVERTIME
* When it comes to the NFL Conference championship games, it含羞草研究社檚 pretty clear who has the most invested in the Canucks dressing room 含羞草研究社� Joshua and Ian Cole. Joshua grew up in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn while Cole was raised in Ann Arbor, which is 45 minutes away from Motown. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 nice to see them (Detroit) go on this run here. It含羞草研究社檚 funny because everyone wants to hop on the Lions bandwagon now but only the real fans know what it was like before this year,含羞草研究社� said Joshua, who attended some Lions games as a kid.
* While Cole is more than happy to accept anyone onto the bandwagon, Joshua is a little more guarded. While Quinn Hughes is apparently on board with the Lions claiming his ties with the University of Michigan as the main reason, Joshua isn含羞草研究社檛 willing to accept him as a legitimate Lions fan just yet. 含羞草研究社淐含羞草研究社檓on, he grew up in Toronto,含羞草研究社� chuckled Joshua.
* As for the NFL, this agent took a bit of a hit last week going 1-3 ATS after a 5-1 start. Now at 6-4 ATS, we still have a winning record heading into the conference championships. In the NFC, the 49ers don含羞草研究社檛 appear to be as powerful as most people think and giving up seven to the Lions is too much. Take the Lions. As for as the AFC title game goes, the Ravens should win and cover the four. The Chiefs had the luxury of going up against a beat-up Bills defense. No such luck this time as the Ravens unit is healthy含羞草研究社nd good.
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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