Heading into the back half of the hockey season, the Vancouver Canucks know each game will carry a little extra weight.
Vancouver (23-22-6) sat just outside of a Western Conference wild card spot heading into FridayB次元官网网址檚 games, tied with the Colorado Avalanche in points but having played one more game.
The standings are B次元官网网址渄efinitely motivatingB次元官网网址 as the Canucks return from the all-star break and bye week, head coach Travis Green said after practice Thursday.
B次元官网网址淎t the beginning of the year, we said we wanted to play meaningful games down the stretch and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e in the middle of right now,B次元官网网址 he said.
The tie between the Avs and Canucks will be broken Saturday when the teams meet in Denver, kicking off a four-game road swing for Vancouver.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a trip that centre Bo Horvat said will be huge for the group.
B次元官网网址淲e can either climb the ladder or go the opposite way. And we want to keep climbing, get points and stay in the playoff race,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淭hese are meaningful games and if we want to make the playoffs, weB次元官网网址檝e got to go on a bit of a run here.B次元官网网址
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 lone representative at all-star weekend agreed.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really important to get a good start after this break,B次元官网网址 said Elias Pettersson, the teamB次元官网网址檚 star rookie. B次元官网网址淲e know weB次元官网网址檙e in a great spot to push for a playoff spot and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do.B次元官网网址
The 20-year-old leads the Canucks in scoring with 23 goals and 22 assists over his first 40 NHL games.
Five of those points came from the last battle between Colorado and Vancouver, an eye-popping 7-6 overtime winner for the Canucks.
Pettersson called the contest B次元官网网址渙ne of the funnest gamesB次元官网网址 heB次元官网网址檚 played in this season and said heB次元官网网址檇 like to see a repeat performance on Saturday.
But the young star noted that the squad has to make improvements if they want a shot at playing in the post season.
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B次元官网网址淭he last two or three games we played (before the break), we didnB次元官网网址檛 play our best and we just werenB次元官网网址檛 good enough,B次元官网网址 Pettersson said. B次元官网网址淗opefully we can turn it around on this road trip and play the type of game we want to play.B次元官网网址
Vancouver earned eight points during a six-game home stand in January, but several games were characterized by defensive lapses and struggles to get pucks on net early.
B次元官网网址淲e definitely werenB次元官网网址檛 playing our best before the break so I think it was a good time for us to regroup and remember what kind of team we want to be,B次元官网网址 Horvat said. B次元官网网址漌e definitely have to clean some stuff up in our own end.B次元官网网址
The team hasnB次元官网网址檛 registered more than nine shots in the first period of their last six games. In four contests, they had five shots or less through 20 minutes.
Playing simple hockey is the key to getting better results early, Horvat said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to hit the home-run play and score the first goal,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址滲ut I think if we stick to our process, simplify our game a little bit more and get a little bit more scoring opportunities and shots on net, weB次元官网网址檙e going to create a lot more offence.B次元官网网址
The Canucks know they can play cleaner, tighter hockey, said veteran defenceman Alex Edler.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just got to get back to what we did when we were successful,B次元官网网址 he said.
With the NHL trade deadline just over three weeks away, rumours have swirled about EdlerB次元官网网址檚 future.
A free agent come July, the 32-year-old Swede has said he wants to stay with the club.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been fortunate enough to spend my whole career here, lived here for the most part of my adult life,B次元官网网址 said Edler, who was drafted by the Canucks in 2004.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been here when weB次元官网网址檝e been really good and when weB次元官网网址檙e not so good. ItB次元官网网址檚 no secret that I like it here.B次元官网网址
HeB次元官网网址檚 been a big part of the team, too, both on the ice and in the locker room, said Green.
B次元官网网址淵ou donB次元官网网址檛 have to be the loudest guy in the room to be a good leader,B次元官网网址 the coach said. B次元官网网址淗e prepares well, he shows up to play. Whatever he has in the tank youB次元官网网址檙e going to get and thatB次元官网网址檚 a good example for young guys.B次元官网网址
For now, EdlerB次元官网网址檚 just focusing on SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 game in Colorado.
The contest will be the first of many to have a post-season feel, he said.
B次元官网网址淓very game now, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be playoff kind of hockey from here on in,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址漇o weB次元官网网址檝e got to be prepared for that.B次元官网网址
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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