Canucks Push for Playoff Amid Tough 3-1 Loss to Utah

Summary:

• Canucks recorded a 3-1 defeat to the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday. 
• The Canadians are now forced to fight hard for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. 
• The St. Louis Blues, the Calgary Flames, and Utah are right on their heels. 

As the NHL regular season coming is coming close to the end, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves in a particularly precarious position as the battle for a playoff spot seems to be intensifying by the day. 

Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club only tightened the squeeze for the Canadians.

While a victory would have given Vancouver some much-needed breathing room in the standings, their last loss was against Montreal Canadiens last week has locked them in a fight for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Quinn Hughes: “Everyone Should Be Up in Here and Excited”

25-year-old Canucks captain Quinn Hughes said,

Obviously we could have separated ourselves today, and I think that was something that everyone knew how big that would be. But now we’re just still in the same position we’ve been in, which is do or die pretty much every day. And it’s exciting. So everyone should be up in here and excited.

Sunday’s result left Vancouver (31-25-11) tied with the St. Louis Blues at 73 points, both clinging to the final wild-card position. Close behind, Utah and the Calgary Flames trailed with 71 points each, making every remaining game critical.

Missed chances are frustrating, but they also serve as preparation for the pressures of playoff hockey, said Vancouver winger Jake DeBrusk.

Obviously stings, but you move forward, you have to. That’s what playoff mentality is all about, is trying to be even keel, even when you can kind of tell a game isn’t really going your way. Just try to stay focused on that shift and things like that.

Coach Rick Tocchet: “It’s Game to Game Form Here On In”

With just 15 games left, the Canucks can’t afford to dwell on losses, stressed head coach Rick Tocchet.

It’s game to game from here on in. I’m sure we’re a little disappointed right now, but we got to come in the next day—I guess it’ll be the morning skate—and we’ve got to bring energy. Because you can’t be down, playing roller-coaster. You gotta let it go. Tough to do, but you gotta let it go.

One key takeaway from Sunday’s defeat was Vancouver’s inability to capitalize on six minutes of power-play time in the third period. 

The Canucks, who ranked 16th in the league with a 22.3 percent power-play conversion rate, managed an early man-advantage goal from Hughes but struggled when given a prime opportunity later on. 

A high-sticking double minor to Utah’s Clayton Keller could have been a turning point, yet the Canucks failed to create meaningful chances.

Rick Tocchet said

And that’s where guys have to do their homework and understand, if this happens again, we’ve gotta rise to the occasion. That’s really what comes down to a learning lesson.

Now, with the playoff race looking tighter than ever, the Canucks are forced to put their latest loss behind them and focus on what lies ahead.

Can the Canucks make it to the playoffs or will they fall short? Get the latest odds and more here.