Let’s ignore the first two periods of Wednesday’s game at Rogers Arena, and focus on a wild third period that helped propel the Vancouver Canucks over the Edmonton Oilers.
Considered underdogs in this Round 2 Stanley Cup Playoffs series, the Canucks, once again, found a way to win and stepped up to face the pressure after going down 4-1 on home ice seven minutes before the end of the second period.
Power forward J.T. Miller, who scored an incredible goal to get the team back on track, says mental toughness was key.
“Those are the situations you preach all year as leaders and as a team to do the right things because we were outplaying them for pretty much the whole game. They were opportunistic on their looks, and we didn’t back off. We didn’t want to get away from Canuck hockey to score and it’s nice to see the timely goals go in,” he said after the game.
He says that despite the gap on the scoreboard, the team’s confidence heading into the third period was never shaken.
“Don’t change anything. It’s a long series,” explained Miller. “Go out, play them again in the third period. We could feel good about ourselves and hang our hats on cleaning up a couple of things going into the next game. You’d like to win them all [and] sometimes those looks aren’t going to go in and you got to live to fight another day. It is what it is, but I think just to get rewarded … we feel like we earned that one.”
Forward Dakota Joshua says it felt good having the fans on their side, as the team credits the loud crowd for helping them win.
“After [Lindholm’s] goal to get it back within two, it was right there, you’re two shots away. The belief is always there, but just to know you got to keep playing until the end, anything can happen,” he explained.
“In the third [period] there, once the crowd gets behind us and gives us a little bit more confidence, you could see it spread throughout the team. They were able to help us grind it out until the end.”
Elias Lindholm says they’ll continue to do just that, no matter what.
“This team has [a] never-give-up mentality and obviously we were down 4-1, but it still felt like we could come back, and we did a good job staying with it.”
Captain Quinn Hughes says the resiliency around this team isn’t new, and credits head coach Rick Tocchet for really driving it home.
“I think it starts in September. Really, it started last year in trying to get us to believe and kind of get the stink that was out of here [from] the previous years before that. So, I think it’s not just a message we’re saying before this series, it’s been a message for nine or 10 months now and we just have confidence in what we need to do,” Hughes said.
Tocchet, who’s almost always calm and composed, was seen cheering as loud as the fans and high-fiving a number of them as the game ended and walked back into the dressing rooms.
“It’s usually not me. I don’t even know if I cheered when [Lindholm] had that overtime goal in Nashville. I don’t know. I just liked the demeanour of the guys. I just let it out,” Tocchet said.
“I just liked how these guys came back, you know, resilient, but like I said it’s Game 1. I actually don’t like seeing me do that, to be honest, I really don’t — not in Game 1,” he added.
Tocchet says Arturs Silovs stayed the course despite the team being down by three goals at one point.
“Goaltending, sometimes things aren’t going to go your way sometimes in a game and you got to hang in there and that’s what he did.
“Sometimes things happen, but I just feel like it’s a real close group, and this is when you need a close group — these situations. I thought everyone had something to contribute tonight. There were no passengers.”
Hughes and Tocchet both said after the game that the team will enjoy the win, but they’re staying grounded.
“Every game is different and it’s one game. You got to think that way. Obviously, we liked the way we defended, but it’s one game at a time. You make adjustments — both sides will make adjustments. But I thought all year we’re a good defending team and I think when you have something to fall back [on] if things don’t go our way and that’s our foundation,” said Tocchet.
Nikita Zadorov and Conor Garland scored 39 seconds apart in the third period, with Garland getting what would end up being the game-winning goal.
The Canucks, who struggled to get shots on net in Round 1 against the Nashville Predators, outshot the Oilers 24-18, however, the Oilers had four goals on 14 shots.
Outside of a bench minor 40 seconds into the first period, the Canucks remained disciplined throughout the game, having a total of two penalties, compared to Edmonton’s four.
Game 2 goes on Friday at 7 p.m. at Rogers Arena. The series then shifts to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively.