Casey DeSmith snaps his four-game losing streak in the Canucks 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
For the fourth time this season, the Vancouver Canucks (49-22-9) defeat the Edmonton Oilers (49-24-6) 3-1, sweeping the season series for the first time since 2014-15. Sam Lafferty, Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua provided the offence, while Casey DeSmith made 32 saves for his 12th win of the season. With the victory, Vancouver needs just one point over their final two games to claim their first-ever Pacific Division crown. The Canucks also hit the 107-point mark for just the third time in franchise history, while their 49 wins are the most since the 2011-12 campaign when Vancouver took home the Presidents' Trophy.
Thanks to solid goaltending and depth scoring, Vancouver was able to escape Edmonton with their 49th win of the season. Positives from the game included the penalty kill, which went perfect on the night, as well as the Canucks overall physicality, with all 18 skaters recording at least one hit on the night. While it wasn't the cleanest win, there were no passengers, as everyone on the roster contributed in some form.
Quotes
Casey DeSmith on the Canucks performance:
"They came out hard, and they pushed in the beginning of the game, and then we found our legs. I thought we were the better team for the second two periods and we got some big goals from some guys you may not expect. Huge goals from Laffs (Lafferty) and Suts (Suter). It's just so nice to see those guys rewarded for all their hard work. The D were phenomenal the whole night."
Rick Tocchet on the Canucks performance:
"It's a tough building. They don't lose very often here, so to come in here and only let them score one goal is a credit to a lot of guys. I thought defensively, we were good. They had their chances too. You gotta respect that, but Smitty (DeSmith) was good, and we got some timely goals. A couple of games left in the season before the playoffs start, so this was a good test drive for us."
Rick Tocchet on the Canucks ability to close out games when they have the lead:
"I think all year, we have been in our mode of being able to protect leads, grind it out. That's one thing that guys can hang their hat on. The minutes were good. I think we played all four lines, and we didn't overuse a lot of guys. I think that's the recipe."
Rick Tocchet on the play of Elias Lindholm:
"I like the way our lines are set up. I know there are different options. For me, it's more depth that way. I thought Lindy (Lindholm) was really good tonight. Since he's been back, it really balances our lines. Gets us little different matches here and there. That's a big plus getting Lindy out there."
Facts and Stats
- Sam Lafferty establishes a new career high with his 13th goal of the season
- Conor Garland hits the 25-assist mark for the fourth consecutive season
- Dakota Joshua becomes the third Canucks player to record 3+ empty net goals this season
- Canucks improve to 41-1-4 when leading after two periods
Scoring Summary
1st Period
VAN: 19:44- Sam Lafferty (13th) from Nikita Zadorov and J.T. Miller
2nd Period
VAN: 11:00- Pius Suter (14th) from Tyler Myers
EDM: 17:48- Evander Kane (24th) from Connor Brown and Darnell Nurse
3rd Period
VAN: 18:13- Dakota Joshua (17th) from Elias Lindholm and Conor Garland (ENG)
Canucks Next Opponent
Up next for Vancouver will be their regular season home finale against the Calgary Flames. Tuesday could be a special night as the Canucks can clinch the Pacific Division for the first time in franchise history. Game time is set for 7:00 PM PT from Rogers Arena.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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