The Vancouver Canucks snapped their five-game home losing streak on Thursday with a 4-3 shootout win over the Nashville Predators.

We haven’t been able to say this often, but it truly felt like the Canucks deserved to be on the right end of the result. They put together what Head Coach Adam Foote described as “the best first period they’ve played all year”. Vancouver outshot Nashville 12-5 in the opening frame, but found themselves tied at one heading into the break. And despite trailing by two after 40 minutes, the Canucks clawed their way back to secure the shootout victory.

Since the NHL Trade Deadline and the noise around the team has simmered, the Canucks have rattled off a 2-1-1 record, securing five points in the NHL standings. That’s the most points they’ve had in a four-game stretch since their four-game winning streak in mid-December following the Quinn Hughes trade. But this time, something feels different, according to Foote:

“They’ve been trying so hard all year,” Foote shared postgame on Thursday. “It’s been a tough year. They’ve been trying all year to make sure that that doesn’t happen, you know, the blips. … Something just feels different the last 7-10 days. The leaders that are still here, the older guys that are still here, they’ve completely bought in to what’s happening in Vancouver. They’re working hard, and you know, that’s probably why you saw their excitement with what they’ve gone through. You’ve got to give a lot of credit to that.”

Now that one of the noisiest trade deadlines most of these Canucks veterans have experienced has passed, the leaders on the team have bought in to the new direction of the team. And it appears that has leaked throughout the locker room, and it’s translating to their on-ice play.

“I thought our D were moving the puck faster than they have all year,” Foote explained. “But our forwards were reloading up for them quick. They weren’t coming out of the offensive zone slow; they were getting pace, curling up, getting to their landmarks, and our D were snapping it. You know, it just felt different. We were playing fast hockey.”

With where the Canucks find themselves in the standings, they haven’t given their fans much to cheer about. But their home record in particular (7-20-54) is the worst in the entire NHL. Wins have been few and far between in Rogers Arena, but the atmosphere on Thursday night was felt by the players on the bench.

“It was big. I don’t know who it was more important for [the fans] or us. What I liked about the fans that they supported us the whole way. You could feel the energy. You could totally feel it on the bench. They saw that we were working hard and probably should have had a better outcome after two [periods]. You know, they’re smart hockey fans up here. And I think the players felt it. It gave them a little bit of a push. When we made it 3-2, the energy there, I thought put us over the line. And once they tied it, it was pretty loud in there, and our players were pretty excited as we saw.”

Watch Thursday night’s full media availability below!