Elias Pettersson reached the 100-point mark in the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks
There was one storyline and one storyline only heading into Tuesday's Vancouver Canucks game in Anaheim: would Elias Pettersson reach the 100 point mark for the first time in his National Hockey League career? Pettersson removed the doubt and the drama by hitting the scoresheet in the first period and leading the Canucks to a 3-2 victory at Honda Center. Here are some thoughts and observations on the night:
- Just 24 hours after being shutout by the Los Angeles Kings, Elias Pettersson showed early on Tuesday that he wasn't going to be denied in his bid for that 100th point. He was determined from the opening face-off. And give head coach Rick Tocchet credit for helping his centre reach the milestone by loading up a top line of Pettersson with JT Miller and Phil Di Giuseppe. That trio combined for a couple of good looks on the game's first shift. Later in the first period, it was Pettersson that drew a hooking penalty on Jakob Silfverberg that led to the first power play of the hockey game. And it was with the man-advantage that Pettersson found Brock Boeser alone in front of the net to open the scoring. That assist -- one of two on the night for Pettersson -- was the one that helped him reach the magical 100-point mark and secure his spot in Vancouver Canucks history. (here is an article that breaks down how Pettersson accumulated all of those points)
- The Canucks power play has sputtered of late, but on Tuesday against Anaheim it came alive. Boeser's goal opened the scoring with the man-advantage and four minutes later Andrei Kuzmenko made it 2-0 with a Duck in the box. On the night, the Canucks went two for four on the power play. It was just the second time in the last 29 games the Canucks struck twice while up a man. The two goals gives the club 60 power play goals on the season. That's the most power play goals a Canucks team has scored since the 2010-11 team registered a league-best 72. At 60 goals on 269 chances, the Canucks power play is clicking at 22.3% this season -- good for 12th in the league rankings.
- Kuzmenko's power play goal was set up by a sublime stretch pass by rookie defenseman Akito Hirose. After the Ducks penalty killers cleared the puck the length of the ice, Hirose went back to fetch it, circled his net, took three strides and with his head up, fired a crisp pass to the Anaheim blueline squarely on the tape of Kuzmenko's stick. The Russian winger did the rest from there. But the goal doesn't happen without the vision of the rookie blueliner playing just his sixth NHL game. Rick Tocchet keeps saying 'there's something there' with Hirose and the way the coaching staff is using him is further proof of that. On Tuesday, Hirose logged 16:37 including time on both special teams. He spent 2:02 on the power play and drew 1:06 of penalty killing duty. Sure, it may have been against the Ducks, but this is the NHL. And the fact the coaching staff feels comfortable with Hirose on both special teams units speaks volumes about the confidence and trust the team already has in him.
- If that is it for Thatcher Demko's season, the Canucks netminder made the most of his appearance in Anaheim -- the nearest NHL city to his San Diego hometown. Demko stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced including 10 of 11 while the Canucks were short-handed. He stoned Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom on a first period breakaway. Stopped Max Jones in tight in the second period. And then stared down Jakob Silfverberg twice in short order on a third period power play with the Canucks ahead by one. Since returning from a groin injury that kept him on the shelf for 35 games, Demko went 11-4-2 with a 2.52 GAA and a 91.8% save percentage and a shutout last week against Chicago. Demko's return to elite form certainly hurt the Canucks draft lottery odds, but it also served notice to his teammates, fans and the league as a whole that he rediscovered his elite form and has the potential to be a difference maker for the Canucks next season.
- The Canucks swept the Ducks in their four-game season series. That, in and of itself, is hardly reason for celebration. After all, the Ducks are one of the worst teams in the league. In fact, it may be instructive to remember how the Canucks eked out victories the last three times they faced the 30th place team in the standings. After Tuesday, Anaheim is now winless in a dozen games (0-10-2). It's a streak that started with a 2-1 loss to the Canucks on March 19th. Before that, the Canucks required overtime to defeat the Ducks 3-2 in Vancouver on March 8th. The first time the teams squared off this season, the Canucks prevailed 8-5 on home ice. So the Canucks scored eight times in their first meeting with Anaheim and then eight more over the final three meetings -- all one goal victories. It shouldn't have been as difficult as it was for the Canucks against the Ducks this season.