sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 going to get tougher.sa国际传媒�
Itsa国际传媒檚 something that Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has stated in almost every media session hesa国际传媒檚 had this year.
Thursday night at Rogers Arena, Tocchetsa国际传媒檚 words were prophetic as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Canucks by a 4-1 margin.
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The Flyers erupted for three goals from Egor Zamula, Sean Walker and Joel Farabee in a span of two minutes and six seconds late in the second period to break a scoreless tie and secure the win. Vancouversa国际传媒檚 Teddy Blueger scored 25 seconds into the third period but a shorthanded goal by Garnet Hathaway at 5:01 ended any comeback hopes from the Canucks.
Samuel Ersson made 18 saves on 19 shots for the Flyers before leaving due to dehydration early in the third period. Carter Hart made eight saves finishing up for the Flyers. Casey DeSmith got the start for the Canucks and wound up with 21 saves.
It was a classic road performance by the Flyers, whose stifling style negated any offense the Canucks could muster.
It was also an indicator of whatsa国际传媒檚 to come as the season moves along.
The Canucks sa国际传媒� given where they are in the standings sa国际传媒� wonsa国际传媒檛 be sneaking up on people as theysa国际传媒檝e gone from being the hunters to the hunted.
And itsa国际传媒檚 also the type of game the Canucks can see more and more of as the season winds down. Teams fighting for playoff spots will crank up the intensity which will result in time and space on the ice becoming a premium commodity. Teams with playoff spots secured will be focusing on playing air-tight defensively.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 time and space but itsa国际传媒檚 about owning that space. Itsa国际传媒檚 winning the battle. Itsa国际传媒檚 boxing out. Itsa国际传媒檚 making a smart play. Itsa国际传媒檚 getting the puck in deep and getting on the forecheck. Thatsa国际传媒檚 the hardness of the game. The game is not played with one or two steamboats sa国际传媒� take your time sa国际传媒� it doesnsa国际传媒檛 work that way,sa国际传媒� Tocchet said afterwards.
His counterpart on the Flyers side saw the game the same way.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 that time of year. You get into after Christmas and you go through January and February with all of these games that still have to be playedsa国际传媒he grind and the checking part of the game has to come to the forefront. I thought we were patient. I thought we checked well and you just wait for a team to open up,sa国际传媒� John Tortorella explained during his post-game session.
While Tortorella was quick to praise his teamsa国际传媒檚 patience, Tocchet was quick to criticize his teamsa国际传媒檚 lack of it.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e got to be comfortable playing a 0-0 game. Who cares? Just take whatsa国际传媒檚 given. You cansa国际传媒檛 get frustrated just because people are in your way or people are hitting you. You cannot get frustrated because itsa国际传媒檚 going to get ramped up even more than this game. Thatsa国际传媒檚 the learning lesson we are talking about,sa国际传媒� said Tocchet.
In games such as this one, itsa国际传媒檚 about making the simple play instead of trying to do too much.
A prime example that was defenseman Nikita Zadorovsa国际传媒檚 second period miscue which resulted in the Farabee goal. Zadorov tried to stickhandle through Farabee and Bobby Brink at center ice instead of just making a pass or an easy dump in. Brink stripped Zadorov of the puck and Farabee would score on the subsequent breakaway.
Tocchet believes in his team but also realizes by no means is it an end product with plenty of work left to do.
sa国际传媒淵ou got to have that mentality that if things are at a stall that you are okay. I think thatsa国际传媒檚 the next level for this team,sa国际传媒� he said.
It was only one game yet questions will arise as the season progresses on whether or not the Canuckssa国际传媒� game is suited for whatsa国际传媒檚 coming.
sa国际传媒淚 do,sa国际传媒� responded Zadorov when asked the aforementioned question. sa国际传媒淚 think wesa国际传媒檙e learning. Isa国际传媒檝e only been here for 12 games but I think we are taking steps forward all the time. Wesa国际传媒檝e got five days off now, so we can get a few hard practices in and get it back. Theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of time to fix those mistakes and be ready on the 2nd (for the Ottawa game).sa国际传媒�
OVERTIME: The quote of the night came from Tortorella. When asked about the 5sa国际传媒� 9sa国际传媒� Brinksa国际传媒檚 play on the 6sa国际传媒� 6sa国际传媒� Zadorov, Tortorella came up with an epic response. sa国际传媒淵eah, yeah but Brink has got to learn how to check. Hesa国际传媒檚 driving me crazy. I love the kid but he doesnsa国际传媒檛 know how to check his *!@. I donsa国际传媒檛sa国际传媒� care who he stood up to, hesa国际传媒檚 got to learn that part of the game.sa国际传媒� Canuck legend Markus Naslund was in attendance at Rogers Arena. He was recognized on the jumbotron midway through the first period and received a standing ovation. Naslund, now into real estate back home in Sweden, is in Vancouver helping one of his kids move here. One of my favorite Naslund stories was one night the Canucks got drilled at home and the captain was the only player in the dressing room as all his teammates had vacated the premises. Naslund turned to then-media relations director T.C. Carling and told him to get some more players in the room. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 Naslund trying to dodge the media scrutiny but rather holding his teammates accountable. The win was the 723rd in Tortorellasa国际传媒檚 career putting him in tenth place all-time. He passed another former Canuck coach in Alain Vigneault, who has 722. Tortorella should reel in Darryl Sutter, who has 737 wins, by seasonsa国际传媒檚 end for ninth place. Speaking of milestones, Zadorov was appearing in his 600th NHL game. The Canucks are the fifth NHL team for the 28-year-old Russian, who has suited up for Buffalo, Colorado, Chicago and Calgary. Next up for Vancouver is a home date with the Ottawa Senators on January 2nd. The Sens have rebounded from an eight-game losing streak with wins over Pittsburgh and Toronto in their last two games. They will face New Jersey and Buffalo at home this weekend before starting a six-game road trip against the Canucks.
