Arty Party continues as Canucks take Game 3 against Oilers
Posted May 13, 2024 7:35 am.
Last Updated May 13, 2024 7:48 am.
It was a nail-biter at the end, but the Vancouver Canucks came out on top in Edmonton to take a 2-1 lead in their Round 2 Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Brock Boeser and Elias Lindholm each had two goals, while 23-year-old goal-tender Arturs Silovs made 42 saves.
The Canucks came out dominant, getting three goals in the first period, throwing a lot of big hits, and setting the tone early.
Captain Quinn Hughes said he’s proud of the way the team played.
“They did a great job. The penalty kill was amazing. [Lindholm] I thought was a beast. [Conor Garland] and [Boeser] got some pucks out, same with [Dakota Joshua], and honestly, it was a full team effort and that’s how it’s going to have to be.”
It wasn’t a pretty win, and Head Coach Rick Tocchet explained they had to grind it out.
“They threw a lot at us. … Some really good efforts by some individuals and they made a push, and we did a nice job there at the end. [We] made most of our chances. Power-play was good. [Penalty kill] did a great job in the third period.”
Despite Oilers superstar Connor McDavid playing nearly 30 minutes, Tocchet said they were able to, once again, hold him at bay.
“There are certain things that you got to try and do — sometimes it’s going to work, sometimes it’s not. The Miller line, obviously, and then when [Lindholm] was out there. I thought [Tyler] Myers did a helluva job — made some nice blocks. You can go down the list. I just think a lot of guys defended well.”
Tocchet had nothing but high praise for Silovs. “The kid’s giving us games. It’s a big stage and he’s not blinking. He’s coming in every day and he’s working hard.”
That sentiment was echoed by Hughes.
“He was amazing, and he made some massive saves at the end and just looked so calm and poised and honestly, I can’t say enough about what he’s been for us back there,” the captain said.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who had some big chances but failed to score, had this to say about the Canucks netminder.
“Posts is not good goaltending.”
Silovs responded when asked to explain his key saves on Draisaitl.
“Which one?” he laughed.
Brock Boeser said the team didn’t worry about any pushback from the Oilers and the Canucks aren’t getting too high or too low with each game.
“That’s just how the playoffs work. There [are] momentum swings and shifts in the game. I thought we handled it well. They continue to push … and you got to expect that and stick to your structure. You can’t freak out, out there, you just got to stay calm, and I think we did that well,” Boeser explained.
Looking ahead to Game 4, Hughes gave insight into what the team needs to do to win.
“We’re going to try and limit their high-danger chances and I thought we did a good job keeping everything to the outside … and obviously [Arturs] made some pretty big saves there at the end, but for the most part, we didn’t give them too many big-time looks.”
Edmonton fans could be heard chanting, “Refs you suck,” during the game, while their players were seen following up consistently with the officials.
“I did hear that with my ears,” said Sportsnet 650 Host Randip Janda, who’s currently in Edmonton. “And I also did not see any white flags here from Canucks fans — there was no surrender going on.”
In Game 2 on Friday at Rogers Arena, McDavid cut Hughes’ face after a blatant high-stick and was never called for a penalty. The Canucks reacted by doubling down on how challenging it can be to be a referee in the NHL.
Game 4 is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday before the series returns to Rogers Arena on Thursday night.
