Canucks look to avoid return trip to Nashville ft. Jeff Paterson: Canucks Conversation
in 35 seconds
On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal welcomed Rink Wide’s Jeff Paterson for some insights ahead of tonight’s game 5 matchup against Nashville. With the Canucks up 3-1 in the series, they’ll be fighting with an extra chip knowing they can avoid another 5-hour trip back to Nashville with a win.
“If the Canucks get to a point and they have a 3-1 lead late in this hockey game, you know full well that, of all teams, they’re going to recognize the game is not over until the final buzzer sounds and they better play hard until the final whistle,” JPat noted. “The Preds aren’t going to quit; they’re going to keep doing what they’ve been doing. Andrew Brunette said after the game (4), ‘The hockey Gods are going to have to smile on us here; we’re playing well enough to win these games’, and they just have to do a better job of seeing them through. I don’t imagine you’re going to see much different from Nashville, and I’m curious to see how the Canucks approach and execute in this one tonight.”
The discussion then turned to the critical decision facing the Canucks in goal. JPat believes in the young Latvian, Arturs Silovs: “I’m anticipating it’s going to be Arturs Silovs. His NHL debut was against a really good Rangers team, he faced the Boston Bruins last year, and he beat Vegas; didn’t get off to a great start, but one of the most recent home games for him was standing tall after a shaky start and the Canucks battled back to beat Vegas down the stretch. Then to get thrown into playoff hockey, in Nashville, overtime; this guy has faced a lot at a relatively early age. I expect he’ll step up and perform again tonight. That doesn’t guarantee the Canucks are going to win, but if they lose, I doubt it’ll be because of Silovs goaltending. I fully expect that he will deliver another thorough, professional performance that will allow the Canucks every opportunity to win this game and avoid going back to Nashville for Game 6.”
JPat noted to Vancouver’s top guys as the reason for the Canucks’ current series advantage: “They are where they are almost single-handedly by the fact that the top of their lineup has been better than the top of the Predators lineup. Filip Forsberg has four points, but I don’t feel like he’s controlled a game to this point in the series. And Roman Josi; for all the talk about Quinn Hughes and what the Predators are doing to him; Josi led the NHL in both goals and shots on goal for defensemen. He doesn’t have a goal, he has two assists, and only six shots on goal. The Canucks have done a nice job of not allowing him to dictate and take the game over himself, which he can do.
“Miller and Boeser have performed at a higher level than anyone else in this series… J.T. was in on five of the six goals that were scored in Nashville, and there’s a drop-off after those two guys. Nikita Zadorov has been giving it everything you hoped for from him. He can be an adventure with the puck, but the guy is a gamer at playoff time and is using his size effectively. Then Ian Cole; I thought he was running out of the gas down the stretch, but you’re seeing the veteran savvy now. This is why they went out and got him; to kill penalties, block shots with his face and helmet like he did late in game four.”
You can watch the full segment in the video below:
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