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"Good effort, little sloppy at times": HC Rick Tocchet critiques Vancouver Canucks' 3-1 preseason win
Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet had mixed feelings about the team’s 3-1 preseason win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. During a postgame media conference, he praised the players’ effort but noted areas for improvement. Tocchet also discussed the physical nature of the game and acknowledged the pressure Seattle applied.
Tocchet’s main concern was the Vancouver Canucks’ performance in the second period. He noted that while the team showed energy, it didn’t manage the game well.
"Yeah, I thought the good effort little sloppy at times. You know, some turnovers, but power play was good, getting a couple goals,” Tocchet said.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs received praise for his performance, making key saves to prevent the Kraken from closing in.
"Silovs obviously played very well," Tocchet added.
He also added that the team needed to shift from "summer hockey" to a more focused in-season approach.
"I like the effort, but we're poking around the puck a little bit too much, and I think we have to get that summer hockey a little bit out of it," Tocchet said. "You got to go through people. You don't kill people. I thought we were a little bit, you know, we didn't manage the game in the second period."
Tocchet appreciated the team's effort and saw areas for improvement while valuing their hard work.
HC Rick Tocchet seeks more consistency from Vancouver Canucks after 3-1 preseason win
Arturs Silovs, who stopped 18 of 19 shots on Tuesday, also spoke about the home crowd’s energy, saying it helped the team perform better.
"It felt great. It was amazing to play our first game at home, especially the crowd, its fantastic energy all around, so I think that helped us a lot to perform better,” Silovs said (via NHL.com).
Nils Hoglander opened the scoring on a power play with a well-executed passing play. Filip Hronek extended the lead in the second period, while Seattle scored early in the third. Despite the Kraken’s push, Pius Suter’s empty-net goal secured the 3-1 win for Vancouver.
Rick Tocchet also praised Jonathan Lekkerimaki for his patience and smart play.
“He didn't rifle it down, he made a nice bank pass, things like that,” he said. "I think his hockey IQ [is high] he’s a pretty smart kid. I think he's going to get more and more comfortable.”
Tocchet hopes to see more consistency from the team moving forward. The Vancouver Canucks will continue their preseason Thursday against the Calgary Flames at Abbotsford Centre.
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