The Immeasurable Comfort of Protecting Constant Leads

[Sykur]

26-0.

Pittsbugh was the first game where they actually gave up the lead in the third, but they still won in OT so I guess it counts. Buffalo was a defensive clinic (what Bieksa love to call one of those "greasy road wins". Get your goal and hunker down).

But it's clear the longest road trip of the season is getting to them.

 

[Sykur]

27-0-1.

Shootouts are neither wins nor losses, they're just a gimmick skills competition and I rarely watch them or even highlights of them.

Be that as it may, no one would blame the Canucks for what happened in Columbus. Everything conspired against them (even the weather), and they looked gassed at the end of the longest road trip of the year. This was meant to be the maintenance game of all maintenance games. That they came away with a point at all is pretty remarkable.

But they found their form back home against the Coyotes. Another smothering 3rd period.

 

[geebster]

Yeah to me this ability to clamp down and not immediately fall apart when the other team scores is the biggest 180 I can remember as a Canuck fan. I'm not old enough to have watched the 80s or remember every season in the early 90s but I distinctly remember that 2011 team coming together over time. Luongo came in and changed our franchise then the rest developed slowly into players far better than they had any reason to be (Burrows, do we really need him?). That took years. This team couldn't hold a lead to save its life and this year has consistently been able to finish teams off.

People often overrate how much coaches can do or how important culture is, but just look at how clear expectations have changed the play of guys like Miller who would flub multiple plays a game or have insanely lazy moments. He doesn't do that anymore. Even guys like Myers have improved with this system. Makes me wonder if the "coaches don't change players, ___ is never going to backcheck even with a coaching change" is only true with the wrong coaching staff.

 

[Sykur]

28-0-1 against the Leafs.

Now this game is remarkable for a couple very important reasons.

First: The Canucks had jumped out to a 3-0 lead halfway through the first period. This lead was gone halfway through the second. Very reminiscent of last year's team -- get a big lead early, completely collapse down the stretch. I was half expecting Toronto to win this game in the third.

But this year's team is built different and didn't wince from the demoralizing prospect of blowing a 3-goal lead. Before the 2nd period was out, just when it seemed like Toronto had all the confidence and momentum, the Canucks got the lead back thanks again to the Lifeline of Bluegar/Joshua/Garland. Toronto did score in the third, but it seemed Vancouver was not interested in playing in OT against arguably the most lethal forward group in the league and put it to rest before it came to that.

Secondly: What I found interesting is the way Vancouver got it done. This felt like a playoff game. This might be the type of game they will play in four months. I've been saying for years that the best 3rd and 4th lines in hockey wins the Cup. With the tighter checking and less powerplays, the top two lines tend to shadow and neutralize each other 5v5. Therefore, the 3rd line who is not facing the top opponents line or the best D-pairing has the advantage of scoring those timely goals in game 7s and OTs.

You see this every playoffs. These unsung heroes who don't get recognition because they're not in the Art Ross race or they don't have big sexy contracts, scoring timely goals that win games, OTs, and entire series. Claude Lemieux never won a scoring title, but he earned something far more precious: The monicker "Mr May". Dustin Penner and Dustin Brown were nobodies in the regular season. They were GWG beasts in the playoffs.

The post-season is where the third line steps up. And right now, as was seen tonight, just when the Canucks were at their lowest, the third line throws them a Lifeline and wakes them up.

As we'll see in three months: The Canucks have the best third line in hockey,

 

[PG Canuck]

Protecting leads all year is huge experience for playoff hockey. Obviously there will be hiccups like tonight where a lead gets blown but I mean, hard to argue with the results when leading.

Tight games is how you grind our playoff wins.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

#1 thing is goaltending. They had the worst goaltending in the league last year, including Demko, who was terrible until he came back from injury in the final 6-7 weeks of the season.

I'm not saying coaching and roster improvements haven't helped but the guys they were trotting our a year ago were not NHL goalies.

 

[Sykur]

29-0-1.

5th shutout for Demko. I like that they're learning how to win different ways. With Toronto they outscored them. With Chicago they got their goal and the insurance and then shut it down for 40 minutes. This will be invaluable in the playoffs.

It also helps that Chicago is not a good hockey team. Without Bedard they're even worse.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Protecting leads all year is huge experience for playoff hockey. Obviously there will be hiccups like tonight where a lead gets blown but I mean, hard to argue with the results when leading.

Tight games is how you grind our playoff wins.

not sure i agree it is all good to repeat this pattern. president's trophy teams often struggle in the playoffs. in the regular season they get into a groove playing a game plan that does not always work in the playoffs and have trouble adapting.

as coherent as this group is we have no experience this year playing from behind or dealing with adversity. we should expect to do both in the playoffs.

 

[Sykur]

not sure i agree it is all good to repeat this pattern. president's trophy teams often struggle in the playoffs. in the regular season they get into a groove playing a game plan that does not always work in the playoffs and have trouble adapting.

as coherent as this group is we have no experience this year playing from behind or dealing with adversity. we should expect to do both in the playoffs.

Are you seriously suggesting the Canucks should spot the other team a couple goals in the first period so they can gain some valuable experience on what it feels like to come back from behind?

 

[krutovsdonut]

Are you seriously suggesting the Canucks should spot the other team a couple goals in the first period so they can gain some valuable experience on what it feels like to come back from behind?

i am sorry but how did you get that from my comment?

 

[Sykur]

29-0-2.

I didn't even watch the Detroit game. Who keeps scheduling these stupid eastern games in the morning?

 

[PuckMunchkin]

29-0-2.

I didn't even watch the Detroit game. Who keeps scheduling these stupid eastern games in the morning?

The NFL

 

[David71]

Protecting leads all year is huge experience for playoff hockey. Obviously there will be hiccups like tonight where a lead gets blown but I mean, hard to argue with the results when leading.

Tight games is how you grind our playoff wins.

this. they will face good teams that can come back from 2-3 goals and still win the game. the entire regular season this year they've been good at protecting their leads hence the record 29-0-2. first period score 2-3 goals, 2nd period coast and 3rd clamp it down. just like that leafs game a few weeks back. now they need to apply that mindset and just attack for full 60mins doesnt matter if they're up by 2-3-4 goals keep grinding their opponets down until the final buzzer. it aint over till its over.

 

[F A N]

Bumping this for good luck.

 

[Sykur]

30-0-2 against Chicago.

I mean it's Chicago, so.... yeah.

 

[Sykur]

31-0-2 against Detroit.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

31-0-2 against Detroit.

View attachment 820690

The way you word this, I tought it was our recent record against Chicago.

But did not fall for it again with Detroit.

 

[Sykur]

Been awhile since I updated this thread so lets recap what was missed.

31-1-2 ... okay, so their first loss was that Minnesota game. When they were up 5-3 heading into the third period. And then 6 penalties in three minutes. I've never seen anything like that before. This was an aberration. An anomaly. And yes: Vicious officiating skullduggery. You could asterisk this game if you like. It doesn't really count. And it'll never happen again.

31-1-3 against Pittsburgh. Because Crosby.

Schedule-wise February was just an absolutely brutal month, but once they got through it they settled down and went back to their smothering ways:

34-1-3 after Anaheim, Vegas, Winnipeg. The Knights looked completely dominated and the Jets looked completely gassed. Current win streak feels like cruise control. Hope Demko is alright.

 

[Sykur]

37-1-3 after Buffalo, Montreal, Calgary.

Team looks solid with DeSmith in net. It also helps that they tend to score super early. Like... the other team hasn't even iced all four lines yet and the puck is already in the net.

 

[Bougieman]

yeah, 37-1-3 as a record for protecting leads is OFF THE HOOK. It felt like in recent weeks that they weren't doing it as well, and then I realized just how spoiled this team has made me about this topic this season. You really expect them to win EVERY game when they have a lead, now. That's just totally irrational, but they do it so often that you can't help it.

What a difference a season makes, indeed

 

[David71]

this protecting the lead will help them in the games in the playoffs.

 

[LordBacon]

Looking forward to seeing the post in the future with reference to how we defended our 6-3 lead against the Bruins in game 7 of SCF.

 

[Sykur]

41-1-3 after Anaheim, Salt Lake City, Vegas, Edmonton.

The Canucks have scored first in 52 of their games. 80% of them they win. That is insane lead protection schematics.

 

[ziploc]

41-1-3 after Anaheim, Salt Lake City, Vegas, Edmonton.

The Canucks have scored first in 52 of their games. 80% of them they win. That is insane lead protection schematics.

Is that a measure of PDO as well?

 

[Sykur]

42-1-3 after Calgary.

One game left in the season and the Canucks have iced half of the entire season after the second period. Pretty impressive.