Canucks 3, Ducks 2: Power play swings away, Dakota Joshua has a ...

1 Apr 2024

Much-maligned power play strikes twice for first time in 25 games, Joshua proves unstoppable force

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Published Mar 31, 2024  •  Last updated 6 hours ago  •  6 minute read

Vancouver Canucks' Dakota Joshua (81) celebrates his second goal against Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Rogers Arena on Sunday afternoon. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

With golf season in full swing, the Anaheim Ducks did what they do best Sunday.

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The NHL’s most-penalized team at 14.1 minutes per outing kept putting it on a tee for the Vancouver Canucks to swing away at Rogers Arena.

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The Ducks paraded to the penalty box and provided ample opportunity for a much-maligned power play to work out the kinks on four opportunities and prepare for the post-season.

The Canucks responded by striking twice with the man advantage — the first time they’ve scored that many power-play goals in the last 25 games — and it could have been the difference in a 3-2 victory that was stuck in a 2-2 third-period deadlock.

Conor Garland had a backhander denied with six minutes remaining in regulation before Elias Pettersson’s flip pass on a short-handed odd-man break couldn’t find Ilya Mikheyev.

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The issue was finally settled when Dakota Joshua took a sweet Garland dish from behind the net and went far side with 2:13 remaining. It was a good ending to game that had many bad moments that allowed the Ducks to get back into the fight.

Dakota Joshua - Figure 3
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“It was nice to get on the scoresheet again, and maybe not my best overall game, but nice to see the puck go in,” said Joshua, who had a two-goal game after missing 18 games with a hand injury. “Great play by Conor to make that pass.”

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Despite the inspired play of goaltender Arturs Silovs, who turned aside 17 shots through two periods and finished with 20 saves, a couple of defensive gaps in a span of 1:11 early in the third period turned what looked like certain victory into a surprise nail-biter.

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A Filip Hronek screen of Silovs, who was sealing up the short side, allowed Olen Zellweger to score from a sharp angle. And when Gustav Lindstrom then circled the net, he found Mason McTavish unguarded at the far post for the easy two-foot tap-in.

It tested Silovs to maintain his calm, cool and collected manner because those plays could have easily seen him unwind like a ball of string.

“We had a lot of PKs and it was good because I thought we were well structured,” said Silovs. “We managed to do our job and the result came to us. For me, the first 10 minutes were about adjusting and after that I was fine to play.

Dakota Joshua - Figure 4
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“I was sort of screened (on first goal) and then the shot came in and I didn’t manage to put my head on the short-side corner. We’re talking about things I need to improve and we’re slowing adjusting my game.”

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Not that it needs much tinkering.

Silovs backstopped his native Latvia to world championship bronze in May, and also earned MVP honours, so he wasn’t going to get rattled by the quick-strike Ducks.

That was a good thing. Execution in front of him left something to be desired at times.

“A little bit more push from some guys,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said of what was missing. “You can’t turn pucks over. I don’t know if it’s a respect factor. We were warned. They (Ducks) were going to play hard. You have to be careful of the turnovers.”

Here’s what we learned as Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks, who now embark on a three-game road trip:

Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser, left, scores against Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal while being checked by Cam Fowler (4) during the first period at Rogers Arena Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSPower play presence pays off

It wasn’t exactly a team meeting, but bodies in proximity was a positive development.

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With the call to get greasy and improve on a 4-for-29 slide the previous 10 games, the first unit had three players fishing and grinding for a power-play goal down low on the initial advantage in the first period. It was a good sign.

Dakota Joshua - Figure 5
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So were better and quicker entries and less hesitation to get shots away, even though Pettersson still had that moment of slight recoil before letting a Grade A shot fly. And Boeser getting to the net and establishing position paid off to send a backhander home off a Quinn Hughes rebound to open scoring.

It was Boeser’s career-high 38th goal and 16th on the power play, which ranks third overall.

Vancouver Canucks’ Dakota Joshua, right, and Conor Garland celebrate Dakota’s second goal Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Joshua then served notice that he might get a promotion from PP2. He established position beside the net on the second period advantage, took a feed from Pius Suter, and then went backhand to forehand between his legs before roofing a highlight-reel effort for a two-goal lead.

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“It’s not something I’ve tried a whole lot, but back in the day, I used to be on the power play so I know some things to do out there,” said Joshua. “I was lucky enough to have that go in. I feel comfortable in my game to be able to make plays down there for sure.

“It’s confidence. This year has been really big for that to get to the point and at least try that.”

You can look at that development as Joshua deserves promotion to PP1 as a behemoth who’s hard to dislodge from the front of the net and has some soft hands.

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Or, you could say that the second unit now has extra punch to keep the power play from being the first-unit-and-done as a dangerous deployment.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs (31) makes the save as Tyler Myers (57) checks Anaheim Ducks’ Troy Terry (19) during the first period on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Arena. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSSilovs smartly stands ground

The lanky Latvian showed his full book of work through two periods Sunday — and it was impressive.

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There was turning away a five-shot Ducks power play in the second period that included a sharp side move to deny McTavish on a rebound before seeing pucks through a maze and calmly crushing a crease scramble.

The first big Ducks chance occurred 55 seconds into the final period when a Troy Terry shot went over Silovs’ shoulder and struck the crossbar before the visitors would score twice in short order.

The thing about Silovs is his demeanour.

“Let the game come to you,” he told Postmedia. “You don’t really have to be stressed out about it. Wait for the moment that you have worked for to see the puck and make the save.

“It’s a great opportunity to play at this level to show the world how you can play. Relax. Do your thing and use your instincts.”

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Vancouver Canucks’ Carson Soucy (7) checks Anaheim Ducks’ Mason McTavish (23) to the ice in front of Vancouver goalie Arturs Silovs during the first period Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSRoad trip is the right tonic

There’s always a job jar on the home front.

A nine-game homestand means things get done away from the rink, but it can also mean a game can grow stale. Sometimes, it’s just good to get on the road to sharpen skills and get off that treadmill of being at home for way too long.

It showed Sunday.

The Canucks looked at times — especially with a 2-0 lead early in the third period — like they were taking the Ducks for granted. A pair of letdowns let the visitors back in the game. And even though J.T. Miller had a pair of assists Sunday, and was a monster in the face-off circle at 16-for-21 for 76 per-cent efficiency, he’s ready for the road.

Which is understandable on so many fronts. The Canucks went 3-0 on their last trip and held the opposition to three goals.

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“Home for three weeks and my kids are at home with a two-week break from school,” said Miller. “I’m ready. Clinching the playoffs (spot) means something because this is part of the culture that you want to get into.”

OVERTIME — Nikita Zadorov sat out Sunday as Tocchet continues to tinker and keep his club fresh for the playoffs. “Whether it’s a rotation or re-set, a couple of guys are banged up, and I just feel we have seven healthy defencemen,” he said.

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