Keys to victory for the Canucks against Nashville ft. Patrick Johnston: Canucks Conversation
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On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal welcomed Patrick Johnston to discuss the keys to a successful road trip for the Canucks as they face the Nashville Predators for game 3 tonight.
No major changes before the game were announced, but Tyler Myers looks to be returning to the lineup after missing game 2 with the flu. Thatcher Demko remains out as it’s reported he’s unlikely to return at any point in the playoffs unless the Canucks can make run to the cup.
Patrick stressed the importance of remembering past success heading into game 3. “The points in each 20-game segment were remarkably consistent. The [Canucks] finished the year on a high note after facing some bumps along the way, but this has been a very consistent hockey team and they need to remember that.”
The conversation then shifted to the importance of a strong start against Nashville: “This was the highest-scoring team in the first period this season. Yes, they’ve had bad starts, but they’ve also had a lot of good ones. It comes back to having faith in yourself and trusting your process. Even in Game 1, they stuck to their system and it worked. We may criticize it at times, saying it’s not sustainable, but the truth is they’ve had a lot of success this season playing their way. Saros is going to make some wild saves – like the Suter save where he didn’t even know where the puck was – but you just have to keep going.”
Patrick also addressed the ongoing questions surrounding Elias Pettersson’s performance so far: “For the longest time, I’ve been trying to figure out if he’s injured, dealing with a back problem, or if it’s just between the ears. Beyond anything else, even if he is hurt, the bottom line is he’s in the lineup and has to find a way to contribute. If that means he can’t get off those wristers or struggles to handle the puck, fine, do something else – be a presence. Don’t just linger on the outside looking like you don’t know what to do. There’s been too much of that where he’s just stood around waiting. Make yourself effective, draw someone out, open something up on the inside. He knows the challenge, he knows what needs to be done, he’s just gotta go out there and do it.”
Finally, Patrick shared his series prediction: “It’s gonna be tight. I always thought it would go six games, and it wouldn’t shock me if it went seven. It’s a game of bounces at this point, winning your little moments. The Canucks won more of those on Sunday, Nashville on Tuesday. Tonight, there’s no reason to think it won’t be the same story. Nashville coach Andrew Brunette wants his guys to go to the net, and there’s a little more softness in their defense. I think the Canucks are still going to win, even with concerns about goaltending. In the end, the win was always going to be about strong defensive play and delivering counter-punches to take the goals when they’re there, and I still think that’s the route to victory.”
You can watch the full replay of today’s show below:
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