Five per cent: itB次元官网网址檚 a small number that produces huge dividends.

Listening to athletes and coaches over the years, IB次元官网网址檝e heard enough of them talk about that extra five per cent of effort that takes your game to another level.

ItB次元官网网址檚 probably the best way to describe why Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua is now playing the best hockey of his four-year NHL career.

Joshua, if you recall, was challenged by head coach Rick Tocchet in training camp in Victoria because of his sub-standard conditioning level.

Joshua got the message loud and clear, made the necessary adjustments and now has a career-high 12 goals. Not bad considering we are not even at the All-Star break yet.

B次元官网网址淚t was definitely eye-opening,B次元官网网址� Joshua said on being singled out by Tocchet during camp. B次元官网网址淚 was at a spot that they didnB次元官网网址檛 think I should have been at. I wasnB次元官网网址檛 aware enough that I needed to give more. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 disappointment (when it came to my reaction). It was fair and warranted and a B次元官网网址榤ake sure it doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen againB次元官网网址� type of thing. I feel like the standard was different. To have this type of season, they expected a lot more out of everyone and thatB次元官网网址檚 where I didnB次元官网网址檛 meet the bar to begin with.B次元官网网址�

It wasnB次元官网网址檛 like Joshua believed his NHL career was at a crossroads, but it wasnB次元官网网址檛 exactly a vote of confidence in terms of a roster spot either.

B次元官网网址淚t was about job security. This could be itB次元官网网址�so youB次元官网网址檙e fighting for your life (for a spot on the team) at that point,B次元官网网址� he explained.

It wasnB次元官网网址檛 until a few days after being scratched in a game in San Jose on Nov. 2 did Joshua feel he had turned the corner.

B次元官网网址淎 week after I got scratched, it finally clicked in on what needed to be done. If I keep doing these things, good things will happen. It was just making sure I was doing all the right things and doing extra things every day to the point where they were happy and I was happy with myself,B次元官网网址� said the 27-year-old native of Dearborn, Michigan.

A big key in regards to B次元官网网址榙oing all the right thingsB次元官网网址� was the extra work put in with assistant coach Mike Yeo.

B次元官网网址淵eosieB次元官网网址�I have to give him credit. He helped turned my game around. We watched a lot of video and he helped me focus on a lot of things I could do better. ItB次元官网网址檚 made a huge difference for me at this point of the season,B次元官网网址� explained Joshua.

When asked what the difference was in JoshuaB次元官网网址檚 game from last spring to now, Tocchet singled out a change in his commitment level B次元官网网址� or that extra five per cent.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 always been a committed guy but his commitment level now is a lot higher. HeB次元官网网址檚 in the gym a lot or heB次元官网网址檚 on the ice with the (Sedin) twins or heB次元官网网址檚 with Yeosie or heB次元官网网址檚 in the video room. We donB次元官网网址檛 have to look for him B次元官网网址� he comes and looks for us. Last year, maybe we had to look for him but now heB次元官网网址檚 knocking on our door and thatB次元官网网址檚 a trait that I love as a self-starter. HeB次元官网网址檚 a self-starter now. HeB次元官网网址檚 matured into that,B次元官网网址� stated Tocchet.

If you want to know how much trust Tocchet now has in JoshuaB次元官网网址檚 game, all you have to do is look at the increased ice time Joshua is getting along with linemates Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger.

In the nine contests leading to the Nov. 2 San Jose game, Joshua had one game in which he eclipsed 15 minutes of ice time. That was the season opener in which the Canucks drubbed the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 8-1.

Since the start of December, Joshua has played in 23 games. He has exceeded 15 minutes or more of ice time in 15 of those games B次元官网网址� including a season-high 18:10 in the 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena on Monday night.

Whether itB次元官网网址檚 providing some scoring, protecting a lead late in the game or increased minutes with the first penalty-kill unit, Joshua has become a key part of the teamB次元官网网址檚 success.

B次元官网网址淚 love his hockey IQ B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 why heB次元官网网址檚 a first PK guy and thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檒l usually get him out in the last minute of a game,B次元官网网址� explained Tocchet. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 also really worked on his hands. If you watch him in tight, he comes out of the corners with the puck a lot more.B次元官网网址�

Teamed with Garland and Blueger, Joshua and his linemates have arguably become the Canucks second-best line. The trio has combined for 43 points in the last 17 games. More importantly, the hockey club has gone 12-2-3 during that span.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e connected. Very rarely when we are doing our game reviews that they are in our end and itB次元官网网址檚 like B次元官网网址測ouB次元官网网址檙e making a mistake here.B次元官网网址� That (solid play) transfers into the neutral zone and into their offense. TheyB次元官网网址檙e always in a triangle and connected. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like one guy is here, one guy is there and the other guy is at the blueline. They have a tight triangle and thatB次元官网网址檚 the way they play the game and thatB次元官网网址檚 why theyB次元官网网址檙e successful,B次元官网网址� noted Tocchet.

B次元官网网址淲e just play the system. We just stick with it. I think when we were put together, we were going against third lines and had a lot of success and now weB次元官网网址檙e starting to go against first and second lines in more of a defensive role but weB次元官网网址檙e still producing,B次元官网网址� added Garland.

B次元官网网址淲e enjoy both sides of the puck and we like to play real tight together B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e never spread out B次元官网网址� and they (Joshua and Blueger) are really responsible players who are easy to read off of.B次元官网网址�

OVERTIME

* The Canucks got two first period goals from Pius Suter and Quinn Hughes in coasting to the 2-0 win over Chicago. Thatcher Demko made 31 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season for Vancouver.

* The Blackhawks power play failed to score in five attempts as the Canucks penalty kill unit continues its strong play as of late. In the past 20 games, the unit has only allowed seven opposition goals in 61 chances for an 88.5% kill rate. To put that into context, Los Angeles has the leagueB次元官网网址檚 best overall success rate on the season at 87.1%.

* The Blackhawks were without the services of North VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Connor Bedard. The rookie sensation broke his jaw in a game in New Jersey on Jan. 5 and has been out of the lineup since that time. B次元官网网址淗e tried to come (to Vancouver) - trust me. We had to tell him absolutely not. He wanted to come so badly. ItB次元官网网址檚 only been like two weeks since he broke his jaw and heB次元官网网址檚 back skating and already skating quicker than anyone else on our team.,B次元官网网址� explained Hawks defenceman Seth Jones. B次元官网网址淐onnor has been great for us this year. HeB次元官网网址檚 electric offensively and he brings a lot of things to the team that we are obviously missing with him out of the lineup. The way he can carry the puck up the ice and his vision for the game B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 super smart. The injury was unfortunate but we hope to have him back soon.

* Next up for Vancouver is a date with the St. Louis Blues Thursday night at Rogers Arena.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

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