WASHINGTON – The Vancouver Canucks†most emotional moment Sunday, in a game brimming with them, occurred not on the ice but in their dressing room in the first intermission.
After their best period of the National Hockey League season ended with a three-goal lead against the Washington Capitals and a devastating blindside hit on Canuck centre Filip Chytil, whose career has looked jeopardized by previous concussions, Vancouver players had to measure their anger and sadness about Tom Wilson injuring their friend against the importance of winning the game.
“I mean, guys hung in there together,†winger Conor Garland said. “We didn’t get stupid. I think we were, you know, focused on Filip, which is normal. That’s a friend of ours, a great teammate. And to lose him to that (hit), you never want to see. But just to stay focused and band together was great. It felt like the bench was pretty wide open today.â€
Longest-tenured Canuck Brock Boeser was already missing, suddenly on leave for personal reasons.
Canuck rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki also did not survive the first period, suffering a possible shoulder injury in a collision with Capitals defenceman Matt Roy along the boards. Another Vancouver centre, Teddy Blueger, who scored his first goal of the season in the second period after missing the first four games with a knee injury, did not finish the third period when the Canucks were under siege.
Amid all this, there was Swedish rookie Linus Karlsson engaging Wilson without hesitating. And defenceman Victor Mancini had never had a fight in his life – “Like, a full-on fight, never. In school, I was a pretty peaceful kid, I guess†– but traded bombs with Brandon Duhaime in the second period.
The oldest Canuck, Tyler Myers, 35, logged 25:50 on defence and contributed a goal and assist. Elias Pettersson scored his first of the season and dug in for the battle, blocking a pair of Alex Ovechkin shots in the final minute, Garland played a foot taller than his five-foot-nine frame and Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko was again outstanding.
With all this, the Canucks hung on to beat the powerful Capitals 4-3 for their third road win over two time zones in less than 72 hours.
“It’s insane; we just stuck together,†winger Kiefer Sherwood said after his career-high 23:16 of ice time included a goal and four hits. “The coaches made sure that we didn’t get too haywire after losing Heats there. I don’t know if it was clean or dirty, but when you see a guy that’s dealt with that (concussion) stuff. . . you just feel really sorry for him, you know?
“I mean, we’re a family here. It was emotional in between periods, and we just kind of had to gather ourselves and stick together. Everyone went in there (to the medical room) and saw Heats, just trying to lift his spirits and stuff. And then Lekky, and then Teddy at the end. We were down to nine forwards; Iâ€ve never seen something like that.â€
As weâ€ve said before, every win may be worth the same two points, but not every win is equal.
With Sundayâ€s victory, the Canucks†third straight after a sketchy opening weekend to the season, the family got a little closer. And the team got a lot closer to re-establishing its identity after last yearâ€s lost season.
“You know, the schedule’s been tough the last three days,†Demko said. “We had some pressure on us coming into this road trip; I’m not going to pretend like it’s not there. Media was talking about it, guys in our room were talking about it, coaching staff’s talking about it. I think we all knew what position we were in coming into the trip, and to get the first three (wins) is huge. It’s been a great start to the trip.â€
The Canucks will rest Monday before visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
Theyâ€ll need more players.
Centre Aatu Raty, a healthy scratch the last two games due to the return of Blueger, will go back into the lineup and minor-league callup Max Sasson could find himself centring the second line.
But depending on the status of Boeser, Lekkerimaki and Blueger, the team may need to recall a couple of forwards from the Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouverâ€s road trip ends Thursday in Nashville.
Coach Adam Foote told reporters after the game that Boeser, at least, should be back soon. The wingerâ€s departure was announced by general manager Patrik Allvin less than an hour before faceoff.
“I’m hearing that it’s not going to be long at all,†Foote said.
On Wilsonâ€s open-ice hit with 36 seconds left in the first period, Foote said: “It looked like, from my first view, that it was a clean hit. Iâ€ve got to look at it again. I mean, he’s a big guy. I liked the way our players didnâ€t get caught… in the trap after a hit like that, running after him and trying to get him. We have to get two points first. That other stuff takes care of itself later down the road, if it needs to be taken care of.â€
The Canucks were up 3-0 when Wilson crushed Chytil, who was looking right and following his pass into the neutral zone as one of the NHLâ€s most notorious players closed on him from the left. The hit looked a step late.
Pettersson picked the top corner from a Garland pass just 59 seconds into the game, and Myers†cleanup from a chaotic scramble doubled the Canucks†lead at 17:09. When Capitals coach Spencer Carbery unsuccessfully challenged the goal because Canuck Evander Kane had contacted goalie Charlie Lindgren in the mosh pit around the net, Vancouverâ€s power play made it 3-0 at 17:52 when Sherwood tapped in a loose puck.
Bluegerâ€s goal, on a savvy kick-pass from Kane after Myers forced a turnover inside the Washington blue line, made it 4-0 at 4:54 of the middle period.
But Ryan Leonard, after a brilliant initial save by Demko, scored on a Capitals†power play at 13:42 of the second period. The Canucks†short bench and long travel worked against them in the third period, and goals by Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson brought the Capitals within one with 2:14 remaining.
With Washington attacking six-on-five, Vancouver survived an awful giveaway by Kane, got the two blocks from Pettersson and others from Myers and Sherwood, and Demko made the last of his 27 saves on a sharp Ovechkin redirect one second remaining.
“We bent there, but we didn’t break and we just stuck together,†Sherwood said. “We literally used every guy tonight. Demmer stood on his head, and the D were just mucking it out, and we got everyone just contributing and pulling the rope together.
“It’s a high-character win against a good team. Really happy with the way the guys just dug in and got it done.â€
Mancini on fighting Duhaime:†I mean, he asked me and I wasn’t going to turn him down. Especially in those circumstances — obviously, that’s not the guy who hit Fil — but I want to protect my teammates, stand up for my teammates. So, yeah, I was ready to answer the bell.â€
Karlsson on grabbing Wilson after his hit on Chytil: “Our guy went down pretty bad, so I didn’t really even think. I know (Wilson) is a tough guy; I was just trying to stick up for the guys. We fought for each other.â€
Foote on Pettersson: “He played great. He had more pace in his game going at guys, had more confidence. On the defensive side, we saw him with two big blocks, too. So I really liked his game, especially in not-a-friendly environment. It could have gotten really physical, and he didn’t seem to mind.â€
Myers on Chytil: “Yeah, it was tough. It’s never what you want to see, really, from any player, whether he’s on your team or not on your team. I hope he’s okay. He’s a true pro, and has been a true pro since the day he got here. And I know he will be (again) in getting better and getting back on the ice.â€
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