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3 things Vancouver Canucks must do to seal playoff series against Edmonton Oilers
The Vancouver Canucks finished the regular season as the top team in the Pacific Division and had the second-best record in the Western Conference. After defeating the Nashville Predators in round one with rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs, no one gave them a chance against the Edmonton Oilers.
However, the Canucks continue to defy the odds, according to many, and maintain a 2-1 series lead over Connor McDavid and the Oilers, with Game 4 slated for Tuesday night.
Despite what the pundits think, Vancouver wasn't a pushover in the first four meetings with the Oilers and continues to be a thorn in their side in the playoffs, improving to 5-1 in six meetings in 2024.
Considering no one believes in them, the Canucks do have a chance to take a stranglehold on the series and could close it out with two more brilliant performances.
Here are three things Vancouver can do to ensure their first visit to the Western Conference Final since 2011.
3 things Vancouver Canucks must do to seal playoff series against Edmonton Oilers
#3. Continue to shutdown generational talents
McDavid came into the second round with 12 points in five games against the Los Angeles Kings. After 10 periods of hockey in this series, he's mustered up just five points, a significant drop for a skater who averaged 2.4 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Oilers, who ride and die with their powerplay, continue to get by, going 4-for-8 on the man advantage in the series, which accounts for 36.3 of their goals.
Even though the Oilers, including McDavid, have gotten away with some horrendous missed calls, the frustration is mounting. It's because Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has devised a plan to shut down 54-goal scorer Zach Hyman and 106-point All-Star Leon Draisaitl.
Without these three connecting on every goal, the rest of the team has yet to step up, making Edmonton an easy target to shut as one of the most one-dimensional teams left in the playoffs.
#2. Make the most of limited opportunities
Even though Vancouver is up 2-1 in the series and has outscored the Oilers 12-11, they have been outshot 94-61. After nine postseason games, the Canucks have the worst shots-on-goal statistics in the playoffs, averaging just 20.2 a game.
In the second round, they have a shooting percentage of 19.6%, which is much better than the 10.7% they had in the opening round. Moreover, they are one goal away from matching their total from the first round in fewer games.
Considering that Oilers' netminder Stuart Skinner has some of the worst statistics for a playoff goalie in the salary cap era, the Canucks don't need many opportunities to score goals. They need to capitalize on their chances and make the most out of limited opportunities with just an average of 20 shots a game.
#1. Stay disciplined
Following up on a topic mentioned earlier, it is going to be vital for the Canucks to stay composed for the remainder of the series. In Game 3, they lost defenseman Carson Soucy to a one-game suspension for retaliating against McDavid for an initial lumberjack slash out of frustration.
Naturally, McDavid got nothing, while Vancouver players were suspended and fined. Meanwhile, several players on the Canucks have been slew footed, hit from behind, and high-sticked in the face with no calls going their way.
Everyone who watches hockey knows the Oilers scrap by with a lethal powerplay, so one way to shut them down is not to give them the opportunities. Staying composed throws several players off their game, like Draisaitl, who often appears frustrated and disengaged when in unfavorable positions.
Now that we all know where the line is for discipline in the series, it will mean so much to Vancouver to play a clean game every night from here on out.
No matter what happens on the ice, it's more important what the scoreboard says, and without giving away golden opportunities, the Canucks have a chance to prove all the doubters wrong in three days.
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