This is the Canucks central post game show. Behind the net for McKay out the right-wing side, bottom of the circle. He's the line for Sonorov long wrist shot scores. Josh Anderson was frustrated. He fell into the endboard. Thought it should have been a trip. McKay to Sonorov in the slot. He scores again. Josh Anderson is all over River E. Kendrick Nicholson, but the Canucks don't mind. Nikita Sonorov has his second in the first period. With instant reaction from the players and coaches. Canucks win the draw. Shroff of the line, they score. Tyler Myers got the riskener away from the left-point and Niels Oman tipped at home in the slot. He hasn't scored in his last 23 games, but he makes it 4-1. Have your say on the official home of the Canucks. Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network. Canucks win 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens. A second straight victory and the Canucks maintain their position atop the Western Conference standings and in the Pacific Division. And this is the Canucks central post game show presented by the number five orange on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network. Satyar Shah with Biknazar. Gonna bring in Randy Jana into the conversation in just a moment. You can grab a phone line, 604-280-0650 or toll free, 1-888-275-0650 on our dispatch plumbing and heating hotline. You can also send in your thoughts to our Dunbar number text in the box, 650-650. This was the epitome of an overall team game. I'm not sure there was a single Canucks that had a bad performance. Now the Canucks went overwhelming by any means, but it was like an all hands on deck performance, a very clean game, a very low event hockey game where the Canucks maintain control pretty much throughout. Yeah, that's a coach's dream right there where you get the early lead, you're pressing in certain parts of the game early on. But after that, especially a third period, guys, my notes for the third period are pretty much blank because you manage that game so well from a Vancouver Canucks perspective. Really two shots early on in this period, which were both 90 miles per hour, but they're from the right point way out there, no traffic. Casey Justmith makes that save all day every day. That was a really strong, strong effort from the Vancouver Canucks, and I said it at the end, they're just like a professional game from them where they're saying early lead, and we got this. Yeah, similar situation for myself. I'm looking at notes I made in the second and third. It was a little lively in the second, obviously, but third period was classic, shut it down, and these are the type of professional performances you're going to need to see moving forward. So it's stacking another strong game that plays to your identity, right? We can talk about, hey, was there enough chance, creation, and all that, but it plays to their identity playing in this manner where Montreal was willing to throw a lot at Vancouver. They pushed four guys into play quite often, and the Canucks, for the most part, repelled everything away, and so it's really strong that they're able to be so composed with the amount of opportunities Montreal was trying to create. Do they have to have their best moments in the first couple of shifts of the game? Yeah, the first six minutes, I would say, was probably their best stretch. And after that, I can't really think of too many chances that they had. It scored the goal. Yeah, the power play sequence in the second. It hit the post on one chance. Yup, coffee on the chance, the dismiss stairs down, or Mia's chance, the dismiss is there. And that's pretty much all that it was. The Canucks are a very clean team game. Let's go outside their locker room, and we're joined by Sam Laffer. He got a helper tonight helping the Canucks win 4-1 over the Habs. And Sam, I guess it's always good to get on the scoreboard, but in terms of you guys, a team game tonight, how did you guys feel about how you guys played tonight? Yeah, I thought it was really solid. I thought we carried the play for the most part, and when we had breakdowns, Casey was there for us, so overall, good win tonight. You might have had one helper on the night, but you played a vital role in that first goal, getting the screen. What was the game plan going in, just trying to take away the eyes there and just playing with speed as well in your second goal, where you did get the assist, just driving the middle. What was the game plan going in against this Montreal team? Yeah, it's something we've been talking about in the offensive zone. We get the possession low to high, and got to have someone taking away the goalie's eyes, so we've been working on a lot, and good shot by Z, and all around good play there. The formation of that trio, you, Linto, Micaev, and especially on the wings, brings a lot of speed. What element and what part of the game do you guys focus on with that speed to try to take advantage of it? I think we're doing a good job supporting each other, all over the ice, slashing, coming out of our zone, obviously, Micaev got elite speed, so he's pretty easy to read off of, and he and I kind of like to push the pace, and Lindy so responsible and get at the puck, so I think it's worked pretty well so far. You mentioned Ilya's name there, he picks up a couple assists. He's had, you know, a tough stretch offensively over the last month or two, but, you know, when you see him hit that speed and you see him play with confidence as a line-mate, you know, how easy is it to play next to a guy like that when he's clicking? It's a lot of fun. He obviously demands the puck when he's skating that fast to open ice, and, you know, we're just trying to get him to the puck and support him when he has it, so, yeah, it's been a lot of fun. Well, and as far as the way you guys play five on five, it wasn't like one of those games where it was a ton of scoring chances going back the other way. How much discipline does it take to kind of be confident and also let the game kind of come to you and not take any unnecessary chances? Yeah, it's a fine line between letting the game come to you, but we've got to keep our foot on the gas and stay aggressive, so it's something we've been working on, especially when we get leads, and thought we did a pretty good job tonight. A quick talk at mention last game that this is kind of the way you guys have to play, and you're gearing up for these playoffs, and in these lower event games, obviously, you're just mentioning they're just trying to stay comfortable, but it is best suited for you guys to be in these defensive situations and being able to lock it down. Absolutely. I think every game's going to get harder from here on out, and it's going to prepare us for the playoffs, so it's something we've got to be comfortable with, and just got to keep pushing. Hey, Sam, thanks so much for your time. Coming up on Saturday. Alright, thanks, guys. That is Sam Lafferty tonight. Got an assist as the Canucks are 4-1 victors over the Montreal Canadiens, and, you know, you brought up playing with Mikayev, and the speed those guys brought. I thought two games in a row now, that trio has been one of the Canucks more effective ones. Now, I didn't think anybody really struggled, like I said before, with the forward lines tonight, but Lindholm, that's another strong game, had a couple of good scoring chances. That line is getting on the four-check strong defensively. Like, there's something there at the very least these last couple of games by that line. As a trio, they look really sharp at the last two games, but what I liked about Sam Lafferty's game, even before the goal started to come for this team, him being aggressive on the four-check. Going after Jacques, I like the biggest player that they have on the other side saying, "Hey, I know your deficiency. You're not going to move the puck all that quickly. If I hit you, I can take the puck away." And that's exactly what happens on that one-nothing goal, where he's first in on the four-check, goes after Jacques, yet again, ends up just possessing him, and what happens, you end up taking that puck to the point. Zidorov ends up getting that goal. But to me, that was, you know, the kind of the story all night in terms of, this time, you saw a lot more on the four-check, but they're tricky in transition. There was one opportunity for Elias Lindholm. I believe it was in the second period. - Three on two with Hoaglander. - The three on two, where he gets a shot off and didn't have maybe the most zip on it. - 68.2 miles per hour. - Yeah, definitely noticed that as well, but an excellent, excellent opportunity for them, and they're playing with speed. Even though, you know, they're just, they just look really good right now, and especially the speed of both of those wings, guys, is what's, you know, I think for McCabe, his confidence looks through the roof right now. - Well, that first goal, I'm glad Lafferty got a point later on in the game, because his work on that first goal is a man. You mentioned the speed, but he's working through contact to get down below the goal line to put pressure on the D-man to make that play, and he creeps up that wall, keeps a play in, Lindholm keeps a play in, and McCabe cycles it around to Zidorov, but it's Lafferty, you know, the willingness and the desire to get there, we were talking about desire and energy and compete level a few games ago, and that's a big play, like, working through contact, staying on your lane and getting downhill into the defender and forcing that play up the wall where you know Quinn Hughes can obviously compact the space and make a play, and so that's a huge work, and then obviously the screen in front as well, a big contributing factor to the opening goal. - And the second goal as well, just skating through the middle, opening up the ice for McCabe Timing, and make that pass and Zidorov to step into that lane to really lean into that shot, that's all, you know, Sam Lafferty coming in with a speed in a different way, and putting Montreal in a very uncomfortable spot in a very different way compared to that first goal, but same idea. - Especially sat when we've been talking about, hey guys, start after raising their games and contributing, obviously in so many different facets, but the role players, the depth players, start playing to your skill set and impact the game. Here's two guys tonight doing it with speed and raising their game at the right time now. - Well, Josh in Mission, Texan, and says Vasily put Kosen was a beast tonight, nice to see him build some confidence, still building and working his way up, but he's here to stay, that's Josh in Mission. A lot of reaction here on put Kosen, he's getting a love on the Texan box, I saw it on social media as well. He was very aggressive on the forecheck and effective on the forecheck, and even when he wasn't winning pucks, he did enough to get in there and tie a guy up for his support to come in there and win the puck. That happened a number of different times, and it's small things, picked up an assist, his first point of the season two, so he got a reward. I do like how he forechecks, and he really has brought to the point Big made about the bottom six now, and you could have guys that are playing through the rolls and building an identity, and put Kosen has had a real strong game with the forecheck tonight. - Yeah, and you know what, the coach thinks about all guys, right, and guys that win those battles, be aggressive on the forecheck, and Vasily put Kosen at the beginning of the year was the expectation he would be one of those guys. Of course, it hasn't been a smooth transition, he had to spend his time in Abbotsford, he had to get that confidence and playing within the system with Jeremy Colton down there, but guys, he looks like he's a guy that's a young man that has possessed the play the right way, and a couple of hard hits too, like he makes you notice the number on the back of his jersey to say, "Who was that?" Oh, number 92. He's doing that a lot more, and I've said this before, like there is on plays like that. I'm not comparing the player like for like, because one is a finished product, one is still starting off his career, but there's a lot of Ivan Barbershev. When he hits like that, you're just saying, "Okay, yeah, this guy hits with emphasis and beyond that, on the goal that Niels Oman scores, just to make some play, like he's not panicking with the puck anymore, he's letting the game come to him and making those plays." Well, crashes on the face-off, right? Winds that battle, gets it to Myers, and there you go, oh, Niels Oman doing good work, they're getting an inside position. Similar to the JT goal we saw in Colorado, where he gets inside position, gets that tip in, and creates the goal. Just going back to what Colson, on a night when the Canucks get 40 hits, as many people are texting in, they were very visible tonight, and usually hits can be a bit of a misnomer, chasing the game, trying to be reckless, and trying to create the physicality. It was impactful physicality, so the 40 hits are a representation of who controlled this game tonight, and put Colson sitting there with six co-leader, with Noah Jolson also with six tonight. You're showing up on the box score, and a little bit later. I love how the checkbook is taken right after a two-goal game, right? Is that Dan Milstein texting into the show? It might be Dan Milstein right now, but a lot of love for Nikita Zadorov, Owen Burnaby says, "I hope there re-signs the Dorov to me, "he's the most important free agent, "since you don't see many guys like that "around nowadays, grit, sides, "can chip in offensively." Canucks need that mix, especially in the playoffs, so that's Owen Burnaby. He's a very toolsy player, like, incredibly toolsy. He's maybe one of the most toolsy defensemen in the league. That combination of size, the skating ability, his shot, the physicality. It's more about the overall, I guess, I want to say IQ, because I don't find him to be a dumb hockey player or anything, I think sometimes when we say, "A hockey IQ is not great, "it's another way of saying the player is not smart." But for how toolsy he is, I don't think he's put it together to the degree where he's a top-airing defense, because if that was a case, then he probably wouldn't get traded. He's going to be playing 21, 22 minutes a game, but he's incredibly toolsy. When he has good games, I can understand why fans are like, "You've got to find a way to keep this player." The question just is, how big is his market? How much money is he going to demand? How long term is it going to be? And unless he's going to play 19 minutes a game here in Vancouver. Or something. I think he got 17-30. 17-37. Yeah. Which, sure. Are you paying a guy who's playing 17-30, 17 minutes a game? 5 million plus. And that's where the issue comes in, because if the price tag wouldn't be great, he is a really good fit on this team. Yeah, the way I look at a short-term, you're very happy to have him on your team because of that element. He was looking for that third goal, too. He's coming down the left-hand side in the second period. He was trying to go top corner on that. It was smiling after Montebo made the glove save to knock it away. You like that hunger. You like that swagger. When you start talking long-term, of course, dollars and cents, right? This is a team that's committed dollars and how many players can you have on the left-hand side that are committed long-term? That's a legit question. You need some entry-level players to step up and take that spot. So short-term, I think this is a difference-maker, not only now, but in the playoffs. Could you see a playoff series, or two, where Nikita Zadorov looks like the meanest player on the ice, looks like a guy that's an absolute difference-maker? Absolutely. They'll probably drive up his price, too, but I think this is a short-term versus a long-term argument in the short-term. You love to have him on your team because not only does he do that, you know, things like that on the ice guys. We've seen the bone-crunching hits, but in the room, he's loved, too, right? He's a guy that chirps. He keeps it loose. He's a very, you know, people love playing with him, so that's a situation where I think, look at it short-term. This is probably, for me, I think it's too early to have that long-term conversation. Well, the goal is coming, too. Now, that's a big two-goal performance for Nikita Zadorov. It's the one downside of no-o-months goal. It takes away the empty-net opportunity, it's supposed to hurt. It's true. Nikita Zadorov. That's that trick. But nevertheless, as Rod mentioned, is texting in the last dozen or so games, 91 has been really good for a good chunk to the game, and this stretch here recently, you know, six to ten games, 12 games who want to extend it out as Rod has, has probably been his best stretch as a conuck, and look, here's another guy, you know, raising the game at the right time then for Zadorov, so it'll be interesting to see what happens. You know, the-- I kind of hate doing the contract conversation just 'cause we-- Well, inevitably, you minimize the-- We kind of minimize the contributions, and the financial realities are what they are, but I don't want to take away from appreciating a player who's doing fantastic work right now, but we're answering the question, I get it. Well, at any time-- that's the issue here. Any time you talk about contract, because any time you talk about what is a player's worth, you have to look at what they do well, what don't they do well, and how does it align with the ask, right? And that's the issue with Zadorov. If they can align on it, obviously, he can be a player who was a contributor, 'cause he's providing offense now. And outside of Coin Hughes, they don't have enough guys that attack the way Zadorov attacks, and he's really good at getting a shot through, but the second goal. He attacks down, he'll go to the middle, and he looks for those opportunities. He'll help them talk to Anderson, still yelling at the rift. He's not a bad guy. Yeah, Brendan Gallagher is tangled up in the corner with Noah Julesen as well. But it's more about, to me, like, you see an opportunity to take it. He's one of those guys that if you give him something, he'll go after the space. Well, I'm glad you mentioned that, because on one of the replays, it's kind of the camera looking towards the neutral zone from the Montreal end, and you can see the moment he realizes, "Oh, we got something." So that awareness is he clues in, and he's making a beeline towards the slot, and Makayov hits him perfectly after Lafferty creates space by driving the middle of the ice, and Zidorov, one of the things, and you mentioned it's that, that play is one thing, the awareness, but also just getting pucks through. I love the shot that Philopronic has, but how many times does it actually get through? With Nikita Zidorov, it doesn't have to be the hardest shot. It's just perfectly placed, and it's going through, and the last two or three goals he scored, outside the one in transition today, was just getting pucks through, and it doesn't have to be a seeing eye shot. It doesn't have to be one that goes bar down. It's just place it on the net. Maybe there's a little traffic that helps you out, and that's key here, right? And that's something that Ray Tawkins mentioned as well, just like enough with the missed shots, get him through, and Zidorov's doing that really well right now. The thing, too, is he brings his personality. You get exactly what you think Nikita Zidorov is, and he's very honest, he's very truth-telling, he's very personable, and you just see that version of him on the ice. There were some guys trying to be cookie-cutter, so I like someone who's got the courage to be themselves on the ice. Absolutely. I love the personality that it brings as well. Before we let you go here, Randy, so the Canucks are in a position now where, for as much as they've had some struggles, they've lost two games in a row, of course, but now they've picked up points in, what, six of their last seven games? Yeah. One, what, six of the last eight games overall? Yeah. And, yes, you look at the trend. Some of the opponents they beat, obviously the last two games aren't world beaters, sabers, and Montreal, but mixed in this stretch, we're also wins over the Kings. You know, they also beat the Winnipeg Jets and, obviously, the Vegas Gold tonight, so they beat some good teams along the way. How encouraging should we be? How encouraged should we be by how they're trending with their overall game right now? Yeah, I think overall, when you start looking at the defensive side of things, and, you know, Montreal going back in their schedule, because, yes, they are one of the worst teams in the NHL. They haven't had the success this year, but what is a character trait of them? They don't give up in games. Against Boston, they took them to overtime. Against Edmonton in their last game, they came back after trailing two-nothing. Vancouver did not give them a sniff in this game, and that's something that I think, as a Canucks fan, and their questions may be up a week, two weeks ago, saying, "Hey, these teams not winning those games, or there's not holding on the leads." This is a team that doesn't give up in games, and Vancouver really had that moral combat finish a moment, right? Like I mentioned in the third period, where they didn't even allow them to have anything. So how encouraging should this stretch be? Of course, there's going to be ups and downs. There's going to be blips. There's going to be games where maybe you're not fully committed, or maybe you didn't do, you know, break the seal as Rick Talkett has mentioned in the past. Yeah. But you learn from that. And over an 82-game schedule, that's kind of the scenario. You're figuring out your roadmap. You're building those habits. So I think it's very encouraging, based on the fact that you have that blip and you say, "All right, maybe it takes us a week to figure it out, but we figured it out." And you're trending towards the right direction as April's coming up pretty close here. Yeah, it is in a big hurry. And before you note, post-season is going to be here. Well, it's the fact that they found their defensive identity again. Right? Again, here we go. Eight, five on five goals against in the last eight games. You go through the stretch of shots against, right? Through this last nine-game stretch, only once have they gone above 30 shots against on goal. And that was against Colorado in these last nine games. So they're limiting the amount of work their goalies have to do. They're very stout. They're not giving up goals. So you're not giving up goals. You always do have a chance in this game. And that's why the power play, like getting that right, would be so important because that would be another huge, huge motivating factor for them to get that right and just find an edge in games like this. A lot of hockey is also timing. You had a player, you know, their best game at the right time. But guys, the large sample size does matter when you're top five in goals against, when you are, you know, even before that five game stretch, when they went on the road and they went, surrendered three goals against total against some of those teams that were, you know, one of some of the better teams, that larger sample size tells us something. And even though the goals for number might drop a little bit potentially as games go on defensively, that's how you win in the playoffs. If you can plug up the middle, if you don't give teams that opportunity to get pucks through or like the third period tonight where David Savard and Jacques, I get one shot from the point each and it's easy peasy for Casey to Smith. That's the type of hockey you got to play. Honestly, I think the only negative tonight is the power play. And it's funny because we came off the game the other game where they played so well in the power play and it's a cave. Are they finding something again? And then tonight, a five on three, they had one good scoring chance on the five on three, fumbled a lot of pucks. The puck was bouncing around a lot. I don't know if the ice has any issues with it, but, you know, the connection didn't really take advantage on that five on three, nearly enough as they should have. It felt like there was that one chance for Brock Besser on the five on four where he has room and he tries to go in front of the net. And after that, when the five on three happens, they make the switch from suitor to heroic, you just lose some momentum there, you're talking about fumbling pucks, you're talking about not able to get the shot through. It felt like in that moment on that five on three oddly enough, they lost confidence. So I'm not sure, you know, is that the filipronic, I was a big proponent of him on the power play early on this season because I thought the shot was a weapon that you could use but just hasn't jived your guys when he's been elevated to power play one. And part of that is, just doesn't seem to be receiving passes or he's taken a little too long to wind up that shot. So, yeah, the power plays the one spot you look back and say, that could have been better other than that pretty smooth game here. Absolutely. Randy, great stuff, man. Appreciate your time. And I would look forward to chatting with you coming up on Monday when the Canucks host LA Kings. That's right. See you later. Talk soon. And Monday. All right. Yeah. You might see me in the building on Saturday night though. Well, you're, you might have some business doing it. Oh, yeah. I'll be in the building. I'll be jumping on on after hours with Scott Oakes. Oh, fantastic. Look at this. Randy Janda. So, I'll be lurking in the shadows here, boys. I love it. I love it. He's Randy Janda. Make sure to follow him on social media as well, calling the game alongside Brendan Bachelorette. Or for one Canucks victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Keep your thoughts coming in to our Dunbar number text inbox, 650-650. You can also grab a phone line, 604-280-0650 or toll free, 1-888-275-0650. And, Bick, there is a lot of reaction on the text inbox, 650-650. Let's hit some of these before we get to some of our thoughts. And especially when it comes to that man advantage here, Bick. Yeah, 650-650 into the Dunbar lumber text message inbox. Is there one on the power play? Oh, Jay and Poco says, "How is this power play so bad with this roster? How is it possible? Won't go deep in the playoffs with the power play like this?" Whatever hair talk it has, he's surely tearing it out. Yeah, and it is, I mean, how much was it of a concern? Is it, if they don't figure it out by the playoffs, of course, it's going to be a bit of a concern? It just seems just strange today. Like, that five on three, I get why you put her on a con because I know what they're thinking. It's getting the two right handed shots and you get them on the flank and you can set up the one timer and it creates some space for you. Like, I understand the theory behind it. Well, the first play that they tried to create, it's Miller in front of the net. They passed from Hughes to Pedersen to Miller and it was quick passes too. Yeah, that's the best chance they had. And they got it right in front of the net and just doesn't connect. Don't convert rather. And then they try the sequence, but it does go to Heronic and Heronic tries to slap pass. Maybe it's part of their sequencing of after that everyone kind of resets and Miller's in that spot to get a slap pass, but if you're going out there on a five on three to get this guy open for shots and he's open for shots then I want to see shots. And they eventually did. They work around another time and he mishandles a puck and they work at another time and he finally does get a shot off, but by that stage, it's too long. I don't think he shoots the puck enough, generally speaking. He has more shots on goal this year so far than he had last year, but it's marginal. He had total last year, 124 shots on goal and 64 games. He has 130 this year and 69 games. He's not a high-volume shooter and he's too reluctant to shoot at times. And I thought generally he's a good passer, but tonight he wasn't clean with his passing and receiving. And I wonder if the ice had any impact on that in the first because it looked like it was bouncing around a lot. But if you want a guy out there to shoot, I want to have a guy out there that actually shoots the puck. Well, per Randy's point earlier about him getting shots through, traditionally in his career in Detroit, he's covered around 48% as far as getting his shots through on goal. So far in Vancouver, it's at 39.8. And on the power play, it's at 35%. That's coming into tonight's game. So your effectiveness is tied into how often you're making the goal they work and he's at a one-third clip basically. Yeah. That's nowhere near enough if you want to be a feature on the power play. Yeah, 100%. And that's kind of how I see it as well. A lot of reaction on the text inbox, 650, 650. This one here says, "From Nuck in the Six." Great game by Dismitz. Some big saves, a key moments in the game. Love pauses, physicality as well. Nice to see him starting to contribute even if he's not scoring. Also really need to re-sign Zadorov. Nice team game all around. Go Canucks, go. That is Nuck in the Six texting. And a lot of that. A lot of re-sign Nikita Zadorov. Dan in Calgary says, "Zadorov gets no love in Vancouver. The guy can skate, shoot the puck, hit and fight and all I hear is immediate downplaying his contributions." And Dan in Calgary goes on to say, "How can we not sign this guy with a skill set? Are we insane?" Shake my head seriously, Dan in Calgary. So a lot of that coming in that the Canucks cannot afford to let Zadorov go. I'll pitch this one too from Cohen and Alisarov. I don't understand the reluctance to commit to Zadorov. For a reasonable term in my mind, what he brings, easily worth $5 million over four years. He's big, he's mean, he isn't slow, he's rare and sought after. That's Cohen in Alisarov. Here's the thing, a strong game again from the Nikita Zadorov. Didn't play more minutes than Carson Soussey. And so it just hierarchy. Are you willing to spend $15 million on the left side of your defense? Because that might be the reality. If it's $5 million for Nikita Zadorov and term, are you looking at the next two years and saying, "Well, we have Queen Hughes at just shy of eight." Actually, I guess it's more than $15 million. Just shy of $8 million. You have Carson Soussey on three and change. Are you going to dedicate another $5 million to Nikita Zadorov? And that's a huge chunk of change of your cap just on that left side. I don't know if that's a proper allocation of resources. As much as Meyer the tools that he has and what he's doing right now, I'm not sure if that's the team build you want to do. And historically too, Jim Rutherford teams, because we'll use him more so than we would Patrick Elvine. But historically Jim Rutherford teams have lessened the cost on defense as they've dedicated more money to the forwards. The only way I can see it work, Bick, is if they look at Carson Soussey and say, "We're comfortable with him playing the right side." Let's see you bring her onick back. You're not bringing Meyer's back. You have Jules employing on the third pair. And you feel comfortable that Carson Soussey can be your second pair righty defense. It's Zadorov and Soussey. Yeah. Yeah. That's how you can make. Otherwise, I think Soussey's too good defensively to relegate him to a third pair role. Now, hey, maybe it's champagne problems and you can live with it. But even so far, like right now, Carson Soussey still averages a bit more ice time than... That Zadorov does. He played a minute and a half more tonight in a game where Zadorov played extra because of the two goals. And to me, if Zadorov was playing more than Cole, I mean, then Soussey and the coaching staff was seeing more... Different conversation. Different conversation. It's more about, if you're not using him as a five million to all defense in terms of ice time, can you pay a guy that much to play in your third pair? And that's ultimately what it comes down to. But great points, good thoughts on Zadorov. We'll keep the conversation going on the other side as well. Keep your thoughts coming in to our Dunbar number, text them box 650650. You can also grab a phone line on our dispatch heating and plumbing hotline, 604-280-0650 or toll-free, 1-888-275-0650. It's Zadorov with Biknazar, the Canucks Central Post game show presented by the number five orange. So the game is over, but it's a night really done. The number five is open. More coming up next on the home here Canucks, sports net 650. The most comprehensive Canucks coverage in the city. Canucks Central with Dan Riccio and Zadorov Shaw. Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. This is where you talk Canucks. You're listening to the Canucks Central Post game show on the official home of the Canucks. Sports net 650 and the Sports net radio network. Gallagher wins the battle, time to get behind the Canucks goal. Zadorov out the near side as Josh Anderson was frustrated. He fell into the endboard, spotted should have been a trip. Biknazar, I'm in the slot, he scores again! Josh Anderson is all over referee, Kendrick Nicholson, but the Canucks don't mind. Nikita Zadorov has his second to the first period and it's two. Nothing. Vancouver. And a great job by Nikita Zadorov coming in on that left-hand side, activating and getting as a pass as he's coming in with speed. It starts from the Vancouver Canucks zone as Sam Lafferty brings it into speed and that's what creates this play as yet again. Helia McCabe plays distributor, his second primary assist of this game to make it two nothing as Zadorov scores another goal. Nikita Zadorov made it two nothing at the time and it is your game winning goal. Canucks go on to win 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens and that is your play of the game. Nikita Zadorov getting a lot of love from the fans to our Dunbar number text inbox 650-650. You can also grab a phone line 604-280-0650 or toll free 1-888-275-0650 on our dispatch heating and plumbing hotline. This is the Canucks Central Post Game Show presented by the number five orange Satyar Shah with Biknazar. And you know the thing I loved about that, Blake is the first shot in the first goal. He does this well, Zadorov getting shots through. He does, right? Good job getting the shot through is a bit of a seeing eye shot. Lafferty I think deserves a bit more love for the screen in front. Everything he did on that play was fantastic. And he doesn't get a point on it. Lindholm picks up a point which, you know what, we can get to Lindholm as well, but Lindholm picks up a point. Mikayev does some good work going around the net and setting up Zadorov for the shot for the first goal, right? The second goal, and yeah, you mentioned earlier that Josh Anderson probably should have his head in the game. However, one thing I like about Zadorov is when you give him a space he attacks space. You give him a lane, he will take it. And that's exactly what he does to make it to nothing. Yeah, the space gets created by both wingers being attached and their minds elsewhere in that play. But Zadorov's got a lot of space to cover to get back into this play. And that's where you see the traits come in. And the straight line fluid and powerful skating. And there's no hesitation on the trigger. It's just get it off the stick and pick that spot. And you forgot that it scored 14 goals. We kept kind of waiting. It's like, all right, where's the goal scoring? Where's the goal scoring? And now here in this recent stretch, we've seen it a bit more frequently from Nikita Zadorov. And so you see the full package. And when you start putting in goals, was it three in the last three, four games, four Nikita Zadorov? So an encouraging sign that that part of his game is coming around here in Vancouver as well. Yeah, absolutely. And Nikita Zadorov, the big hero here tonight for the Vancouver Canucks. Now we have a lot of reaction on a text inbox, 650, 650. But before we get to that reaction, I did mention Elias Lindholm. I thought Lindholm was very dangerous tonight. He had a couple of chances himself. He got shots on goal. He was setting up his line mates good defensively. And the thing I like about his game, we talked about this a little bit in the past, but he's really good at receiving pucks. Especially like, you know, grenades throws his way is good at, you know, calming the puck down and taking it. And there were a number of moments tonight, and it seemed like ice wasn't great, especially early on. And he was so good at calming the play down with the puck. And offensively, yeah, you want more, gets a helper on the evening, of course. But these last two games is about as dangerous as I've seen Lindholm be as a Canucks. Certainly. And I thought he made a lot of good defensive plays as well. That for me right now is if you're going to be in this matchup role, you have to be stout defensively. And he did it quite a bit in the first period. There was a play where Harona kind of throws a grenade at Lafferty, and it creates an opportunity. And a pass goes to Armea. And who's there to break it up? It is Elias Lindholm. And it just, he didn't necessarily retrieve the puck, but he got a stick on it, delayed the play for Montreal to create. And everyone in Vancouver got back into play. Everything was settled down. And so that's a chance you nullify. And then, you know, as far as creating thereafter, he's the one who knocks it deep and is able to backtrack on that huge pinch. He knocks it deep from a cave to get it to the door off. And then he also has a three on two chance from Hoaglander. Not a strong shot, obviously, but in the right spots. And if you're playing the suppression element first and then the opportunities kind of find you, that's good work from Lindholm. Yeah, I mean, the only place he struggled tonight was a face-off circle, ironically. He lost 10 draws, only 1-3 for 23% matches the number he's wearing, but not the best night in the face-off circle for him. But outside of that, like he had a tremendous night. As far as a face-off circle goes, Pedersen, four wins, one lost, 80%, and he's ticked over 50% on the season. So Elias Pedersen is now a good face-off taker. If I'm just really quickly here on Lindholm, if I'm looking at this correctly, I think the last time he was below 50% with that Boston game. That's been a long time. So he's consistently good at it. That's the only thing you can point out tonight because I thought he had a very strong game. And the other guy we haven't really spoken about yet is Connor Garland scores another goal back-to-back games with the goal. He was feisty, got into it with Ghoulé and Jakai, and ends up getting two minutes for Ruffing, and then I guess an extra two minutes plus some more added on top of it. But I thought he's been very engaged, obviously, this entire season with how he's played, but another strong game tonight. Like him and Hoglan are there for checking on that line with Pedersen. They've been too little, you know, I don't know how you want to describe them exactly. It's too little to ask that getting on the four-check win pucks and they're a nuisance to play games. Yeah, they mentioned Ghoulé and Jakai are going to be thinking about them tonight as well. They were pests, though this whole evening. And here's the thing, we always say, if you're going to go up the lineup, you've got to produce half to produce. So Connor Garland goals him back-to-back, 15 on the year now. That is big for him, and he ends up scoring with Blue Girl there rather than being with Pedersen in that moment. But nonetheless, he was effective all evening. And when you're term-styling, guys, and going after the puck, and just making life difficult for Ghoulé and Jakai, are you going to be that effective, too, against other D-men? That's Connor Garland's game. So it's a strong performance, and the fact that he's carried over his goal from last game into tonight, too. He keeps himself in line to stay in that audition phase right now with Elise Pedersen. Yeah, absolutely. In terms of Pedersen's game, where's to think of the way he played tonight? I was moving his feet early through a couple of hits in the first period along the left walls. I think it was on Caulfield and then went after Kova Savage. He got lots of Uzzanaw's for his thick handling tonight as well. Yeah, and on that play, Garland creates a turnover for, I think it was on the K of Shot. And yeah, there was a couple of dangles from Pedersen. He drew a penalty, obviously, on a play. I thought he could have shot before he dangled around Nick Suzuki and drawing the penalty. Aside from that, yeah. Yeah, I don't know if there's anybody who had a tough night in terms of the Canucks tonight. I don't know if there was anybody who was spectacular. I know Zodorov is getting a lot of love. I don't know if there was anybody who had a 9 or a 10 performance, but there were a lot of 8s and 7s across the board. Oh, actually, the play actually really liked on Pedersen. This is so nerdy. But on the first power play, he brought the puck in on the left wall, on the left side of the ice, and a hard, aggressive cut to the middle, and basically had to navigate all four sticks to find the space in the zone entry. He happened right away. He kind of went counter-flow, and as the guys were dropping into the negative space, he just found his spot as he would traditionally would along the right wall, and then everything was settled. They got the instant setup right away. Yeah, I know that was really good. The thing I also liked about him on the PK, he's the last few games. He's been able to create some turnovers, set up Mikaya for another chance on the PK tonight. So an active game in that regard from from Aliyah's Pedersen. We are getting it to the head coach, Rick Talkett coming up in just a few moments. But, Bick, a lot of reaction on text in the inbox. 6.50, 6.50, Tone says, "I'm super impressed with how well they're able to just jam everything up defensively. They're stringing together some solid performances." It's stacking up here. And as Rick Talkett said the other day, this is going to be the way they have to play. And if they can stick to it, it's going to be difficult. CJ from the East Coast also texted in, take goals away from who they can, no need to be carried by the top six. This is how the Canucks have to play with CJ from the East Coast texting in. Absolutely. Chitann from Mark Paul says, "Zadorov and Susie both play on the right side. The versatility is worth something." So Zadorov has played on the right side, but it was interesting when he was acquired. There was an interview with you and Dan Richeal when you were filling in for me on Connect Central that day. You guys had Zadorov on. And interestingly, Zadorov said he's not very comfortable playing the right side as a left. He's done it, but that's not where he's comfortable. So if you're bringing him back, I don't think you can bring him back with the mindset of you're going to use him on the right side. It's like if you're bringing him back, he's going to be using the left side. That's where you get the best version of him. But I think Susie, what he's shown is, yes, he is very adept at playing the right side as a lefty. Certainly. And play guys on the spots where they're comfortable. If that's the way Nikita Zadorov feels, why thrust them to a role, especially when you're not hampered for injuries or anything like that. If by design, Carson Seuss can do it. And the little camera we've seen played fairly well doing it as well. So he's the one I would put higher in the pecking order. We saw Ian Cole do it. Varying results. Zadorov again has spoken about it. So right now, I would say Seuss is the only one I feel comfortable doing the flip. Yeah, I'm there with you. Sealeg says, "Can we beat teams that matter when it matters? What a great season. We expected nothing. And here we are." I mean, we can sit here and give our opinions. It's going to come down to what happens once you get into the postseason. But yes, you want to generate a bit more chance-wise. Somebody else was texting in and saying, you know, for all this talk about, you know, power play, power play, the Canucks are controlling 5 on 5 and 5 on 5 is what matters in the postseason. I don't disagree. Like, I think if you're 5 on 5 games right, that is what really carries over to the playoffs. But you're going to have to have a power play that can take advantage of opportunities. You do need the power play to get going. Are we generating enough scoring chances in general for you to feel confident in terms of scoring at a higher rate? They got four goals here tonight, right? It wasn't like they were generating a ton of scoring chances. They took advantage of them. But I do agree that how they're honing in on their 5 on 5 game right now with how they're able to lock down teams and the spine they have down the middle up front. You have Patterson. You have Miller. You have Lindholm and Blueger. That's as strong as you can get down the middle in terms of your four-centremen. Massive size in the back end and you're playing a suffocating team style like that. It does bode well for the postseason. Hopefully they can take advantage of it once that time actually does come. 650, 650. Actually, I don't know if we can do this one now. But there's been a request sat for us to do math live on the air. Do they really want that? Well, Connor from Burnaby has said, "Can someone do the math when the class can clinch their playoff spot officially?" So we're going to wait for the Vegas Gold Knights game to end. Then we'll give you some math. We'll do that. We'll do that after Rick Talkett as well, so give us a chance to actually prep the math. Yeah, but I would say this. Their chances of clinching first in the Pacific Division weren't really changed tonight because Edmonton won. And Edmonton had to come from behind. They were down two nothing. They were down three two going into the third and the game finished eight three. Yeah, eight three. Yeah, it's pretty wild. Yeah, they keep the Oilers at arm's length still. But the Canucks, because the Winnipeg Jets lost, they are now even by point percentage, the number one team in the Western Conference again. So they were number one in points. The past little while, Jets had a better winning percentage. Now the winning percentage favors the Vancouver Canucks after their victory and the Jets losing against the New Jersey Devils. All right, we'll get to more of your thoughts coming up in a bit. 650, 650, Dunbar, Lumber. Now, it is time to hear from the Canucks head coach. Here is Rick Talkett after a 4-1 win over the Habs. How pleased were you with the overall 60-minute performance tonight and the way you closed it out in the third? Yeah, no, I thought it was a, you know, didn't give him much. You know, that's a fast team. You know, they're an up-and-coming team. I thought it was a third and fourth line. Did a nice job. You know, the, you know, obviously Z getting a couple of big goals for us, but I didn't think we'd give him much in the high danger areas. Speaking of Zodorov, you know, jumping up in the rush on the second goal, but just generally what did you make of his game and the impact he had tonight? Yeah, no, I thought he, you know, when he moves his feet, I don't know, footy and gosh, I've been really working with him on trying to move his feet, but I get up that rush. But he's got a great, he's got a really good shot. I mean, he's, he can, he doesn't need a big wind up. He's got one of those quick, hard shots. Rick, for this team to be operating on a hundred percent, it feels like the four check is a major part of that. Was that the key tonight for you guys or was it something else? Yeah, the four check's been going to even last game. You know, that's why I thought that, you know, couldn't get the fourth line out there much because of penalties. But then when I got him out there, it seemed like we got some juice off those guys and I thought Lynn Holmes line was good, too. Okay, if those guys were good. So, you know, our team, when we're four checking, well, obviously, you know, it really helps our play. So we don't have to defend all night. It's a fourth game in a row now, but Silly Pot Kohl's led your team in hits. What are you seeing from him in the physical point of view? Yeah, I love that. I mean, that's why you got to sometimes, you know, it's nice to have young guys in the lab because they, you know, they, you know, like Podsies, you know, going around hitting guys. You know, it's, it's good, separates people in the puck. And he had a couple of chances, you know, almost scored at the end. So, you know, it's, it's coming. Building off that. What does it mean when your team has 40 hits on the night? Well, we talked about four of the game. We had to play, you know, this is a team you have to play through them. You know, we have to kill people, but I think getting in front of people is something that, you know, we continually have to do. And because as a season goes on here, that's a priority of, like, you know, like I said, you just got to stay in front of people. And if you can separate people in the puck with a good hit, take it, but at least get in front of people. He talked about the importance of depth scoring, especially this time of the season. Yeah, it was nice to see all of us. You know, he, I thought last game, he was pretty good. I thought, you know, he hasn't played a lot. You know, it's a nice little tip, you know, good for him. But yeah, depth scoring 100%. You know, laugh and Mackay have been getting a couple of assists driving the net, you know, converting on the three on two, setting up those plays was nice. We saw you use the law-to-line, Patterson Miller and Besser together for some defensive zone face-offs. What was the idea behind putting those three out together in those situations? Well, we had some penalties that I just had a feeling. And actually, when I put them out there, it was actually worked with the first ones for offense. And they really had that possession in about 34. Like, actually, it was really good. I thought it really helped us. Then obviously the goal at the end, a little tougher there. But it was more for the offensive, you know, just to maybe get that separating goal. If we could get that other goal, that was kind of my lie. You know, sometimes I want to put those guys together every once in a while. And Mackay have been snake bitten in the past. He comes up with two assists tonight, primary assists. How have you seen his game rounding out, especially in terms of his skating, which has taken a step in recent games? Yeah, that's it right there. I think it's skating for me the last 10 days. That was really improved. Like, he looks like he's got some, you know, that extra juice, the extra gear. And that's his game, right? If he can skate and chase Pakistan, you know, that really helps our team. It increases our team's speed. Rick, now that you have a healthy D, could you speak to the level of competition, maybe within the group for playing time? And do you think that had any effect on Zadora tonight, that competition? Well, it could have for the talk to the D to the today. And, you know, if there could be, who knows comes out, you know, next guy could be maybe surprised to you guys, but for us, it's, this is the way we got to go with it. And some guys might not like it, but that's just the way it is. We're going to have to keep everybody on their toes. And, you know, and sometimes the guys coming out doesn't mean it's playing bad. It's just that we have to do this right now. I mean, I thought Joseph was really good tonight. So we'll have to sleep on what we're going to do next game. And for, I think it's over the last nine games now, you've given up only 23 shots tonight. I know some of those games are a lot looser than you would have liked. But when you're yielding that little, how much easier does it make to win games? Yeah, I just think the commitment, like, we have to, obviously, every coach says it. We want to commit them without the puck, but we, I think we're protecting the mill. You know, when we give stuff, it's the outside. It looks, you know, looks bad, I guess, to people, but at least we're protecting the mill. So that's kind of the thing I've seen in the last, you know, three weeks, even though that road trip, we didn't give a lot of shots. I look at high danger stuff for me, or grade A chances, like, you know, something gets 35 shots, doesn't bother me. It depends how many great A's they get. So I think we've kept them to a minimum. In case of Smith is, I mean, every game, he's just been real solid, you know, whether he's getting shots or not, he looks good. Like he's, you know, even there, when teams have, they go side to side, he's right there. Like he looks like he's seen the puck, which is nice. Rick, tonight we saw some of the situation to the Colorado game with the other team, scored a goal late in the second period to cut the lead. But tonight, the third period of the response was a lot different. What do you think was the difference there, and how do you think they managed to, like, dial it in for that third period? Well, I thought we didn't screw around with the puck in the third. We played more north. We didn't regroup it. We didn't take it back. I think we established that north. I think that got us back. You know, the first five minutes of the third, we started screwing around with the puck. Then, you know, who knows what happens when you take a stupid penalty? That's the kind of thing we're trying to get away from. Because anything can happen when you let that goal at the end, and then you come and start a third, who knows what happens? So I think we established, I don't think they had a chance in the third. The video guys were telling me when I walked in. We really managed the puck while in the third, and I think that's what counteracts that goal at the end. Like, I didn't see a panic, which was nice. Yeah, just three shots in the third period against. I mean, that's locking it down. Is that the biggest? They had three or three shots. They had only three shots. Is that the story? Is that what you really wanted to see more than anything else coming out of tonight? Yeah, I think when you're up, sometimes you're on your heels on the forecheck. So, you know, you don't go as hard. You allow the team to come out and they come out at waves. And then all of a sudden, you're skating backwards in neutral zone, and you're defending. So I thought, for me, we don't want to back off. If we're responsible, F3, you know, or F4, we should go hard. And if there's a rim and the pinch is available because we have people above, take the pinch. I think when we back off, that's where we get in trouble. So I didn't see that tonight. And then I think it was midway through the first. You guys at the PowerPoints, they didn't quite work. They get... Montreal gets a two-on-one right at the tail of the power play. Casey makes a huge save. I mean, how massive... Critical. That's a two-goal swing. You know, that's a great point. I forgot about that. It's... Yeah, you don't convert on the power play. You have a five-on-three. And then they score it. It demoralizes the team. It really does. And I think Casey with that save kind of let everybody breathe a little bit. So, key moment in the game, you're 100% right. Brooke, when you talk about inside play, getting inside an offense in the offensive zone and taking it away on defense, is it something that you guys have tweaked schematically in the last little bit, or is it just as simple as the guys executing what you've wanted all year long? Well, it's, I mean, playing insides is will and grit and getting there. And now there's a little bit of technique. You know, don't get there too early sometimes because you get pushed out. I mean, for smaller guys, there's technique and stuff in body position. But to me, it comes this way. It's just getting there. You know, I think it was at the first goal. Was it laugh in front? I mean, he, you know, the goalie couldn't see it. I mean, he established... They weren't moving. I mean, we scored. Those are the goals we got to find and get, you know, even the one, the deflection. You know, I was at Sousie. Who shot the goal there? When was Myers? That was a hell of a play by Mysie. But it was a great tip. And we had people around the net. About the penalty kill, especially at the key point in the second period. So they didn't gain momentum. What did you like about that? Well, I think we gave three in a row, right? Yeah, that was key. You know, the save with Casey and then kill in those three because boom, you know, you get three in a row. I mean, it was a short period of time. That was big for us. And I think our PKs, you know, the last couple of games has won us the game. Or, you know, a major factor in our wins. Canucks head coach Rick Talkett after a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. And he was very pleased with the overall team effort here tonight and said they didn't give much in the high danger areas. They really liked their third period. Spoke highly of a Lafferty, Mikayev, and put Colson with how they played tonight. And the enthusiasm that those players had, happy that they were rewarded too. And as far as Zodorov is concerned, he said, you know, when he moves his feet, his very effective, really good shot, quick, hard shot, and was happy with what he got from him as well. But it was interesting. He said, Adam Foote talked to the D and told them they will rotate. And they may not like, guys may not like the next guy coming out. Now, does that mean next game or the game afterwards? But a hint that maybe somebody that we wouldn't expect is coming out? Because if he says that, I wouldn't expect that he's just talking about Juleson Zodorov Cole. Or I mean, Juleson Cole. Is he talking about Susie Zodorov or Onik? Even Quinn Hughes? Now, I don't know if you want to give Quinn Hughes a day off, right? Considering how good and important he is to the team. They still haven't, I mean, they play offs, they're making the play offs. Well, they haven't clinched yet, Seth. Yes, that's going to happen. I'm not worried about that. It's more about, were them finishing first in the Pacific has not yet been determined. Them finishing perhaps first in the West, that has not yet been determined. And until they get closer to perhaps determining those things, I'm not sure Quinn Hughes sits again, you know? But that perked my interest a little, piqued my interest a bit. I'm like, okay, so what is he talking about here? Well, with 12 games to go now, would you just expect some rotation? And are guys going to be accepting of that? And I suspect they would be. There's a grander picture that's clearly forming both the play offs now and just keeping guys fresh here. I'd be surprised if next game we see changes though. If Cole's still in a maintenance period here and banged up and dealing with something, Zodorov just scored two. Big shout out to Noah Julesen from the coach as well on his performance tonight. So immediately, my first thought is I'd be surprised if Saturday is a change. Yeah, yeah, we'll see if that cap is on Saturday. But an interesting hint there from the Canucks head coach. And was there anything else that kind of stood out to you in terms of what he meant? What he mentioned here tonight? Well, the hits. He was asked about the 40 hits and mentioned that he didn't have to go out there and kill people. But it's about getting in front of people. Continually, you have to do that. Separating from the puck is nice, but at least getting in front of people. I wonder if that's the thing about slowing the game down. We know that they're not the most high paced team. You put guys out of the play or you chip bodies as he talks about all the time. Well, it just makes it harder for them to gain. Gain their speed. And does it allow you to control the flow of the game? So the emphasis on that to me standing out too. Yeah, that was a good point. And the thing he mentioned about the third period, the Canucks, of course, they don't sit back in the third. He said he liked the fact they weren't regrouping. Then his screw around with the puck in the third, took it forward. And when you manage the puck well and take the puck forward and start imposing your will, good things start happening. And he said by their numbers, they didn't give up a single real scoring chance of the Habs in the third. And I think it overall checks out. Well, three shots on goal, 17 shots on goal through the course of the evening. Yeah, not a lot. I mean, the Canucks shot suppression, you know, since the all-star break has been spectacular. And even the chances they were giving up has been really fantastic. These past 20 games, it hasn't been 21 games. It hasn't been their best hockey. They're 11, 7, and 3, right? So it's like a 96.97 point pace, something along those lines. Not nothing to scoff at by any means, but based on the season they had, not their most prolific stretch, but overall defensively over this stretch. It's been some other best hockey this season from the defensive standpoint. There's two shots on goal in the last nine games. Nine games? Yeah, nine games. 20, 18. This is from opposition teams. 20, 18, 24, 28, 22, 34, 24, 17, and 17. That's a great environment to live in if you're a goalie. Yeah, it is great. I mean, as good as Casey the Smith has been, and he mentioned the big save he did make and on the Power Play 2 made a couple of good saves, it's not like he hasn't made saves. But they're not giving up any real quality scoring chances. There are no two-on-ones happening, no backdoor plays happening. You had a tweet if those didn't see it on X, but you talk about Noah Jolson on the PK, how good he has taken away the backdoor play, and it was one back. He was just baiting guys into it. It's great. It almost seems like he is, right? And as soon as the puck comes, it's like he's baiting it, and then that way he can get a clear or move the puck out or break up the flow that the Power Play has going on for them. And they're not giving up any of that stuff the last little bit. One time they did was a couple of bad chips against the Washington Capitals, right? They had that game, and there was the third period against Colorado. But this last eight, nine game stretch, like they're giving up almost nothing. And for Casey the Smith, he has to play half the net half the time. The guys are taking away the back or they're collapsing really well, and they're not giving up anything off the rush. Maybe the best scoring chance Montreal almost had was in the first period. They had a two on one break, and on the cross pass, Bluegr was back checking so hard with the back pressure and breaks that play up. That's maybe the best chance they had, and it never became a chance because the pass never even actually came across, let alone even trying to get a shot attempt off. That's the type of effort that has kind of epitomized the Canucks team play over the last little bit. That five on five game, the forwards back checking really hard. Guys holding onto their position, winning puck battles, and when you do those sort of things, you make it up a ton. The Gallagher play is probably the best one after that five on three, where Hoglander passes it diagonally back to the point, Gallagher's coming out of the box, chips it away from Phillip Pronik, and then suddenly Suzuki puts him in and Smith is there to make the save. I think the first period, there was that stretch there where the Habs early in the game got a couple of chances, and then that stretch there in the second period, with the power plays influencing some chances for Montreal. New hook gets a short side shot, low that goes off the pad, and then it was before that Julesin breakup on the back door. Cofield obviously hits the post, but he stares down to Smith as well, just Smith getting a glove to that one. So yeah, he was full value for the win tonight too. He really was. We have a lot of reaction on the text in the box. We'll hit a couple of these before we hit the break, and we'll get back to more Canucks player reaction as well post game. And Ian McIntyre will join us in the final segment as always. Keith from Haney says, Pedersen's line should be the fellowship, two Hobbits and a Wizard. Keith from Haney, PS. We've got to keep pace with the Nashville Predators, and it goes on to say, the Preds have every point, points in every game since no sphere. Let's just eliminate team fun or rest or family time in Vancouver as well. Keith from Haney, all in Jess, he's joking around, but the Nashville Predators win yet again tonight. You know, and you know, maybe we should do the standings things here now. Somebody else texted us and said, please God, don't don't do math. They did the math for us. Should we read this one? No, you want to do it? You did the math? Have you done a proper math? I hope so. I did misspeak in saying that. With math? I don't know. I'm shocked. We'll wait until the Vegas Golden Knights game is over because technically it doesn't matter. They're the 18. But it was more about the overall picture. But the St. Louis Blues right now, they win today. They are at their max points is 101, so they're the 19 right now. So that's the number. You beat 101, you're in. Yeah. So I'm not going to say that 96 now. So they have five more points or any collection of losses wins and next thing you know. I mean, they may have a playoff spot clinched by Monday, potentially. Yeah, potentially, potentially. So, I mean, you know, it can happen sooner, maybe a little bit later. But that's kind of where they're at with perhaps doing that. But even right now, the Golden Knights are on pace for 96 points in the Connect 796. Yeah. So I mean, Golden Knights are not catching them. It's really Vancouver and Edmonton. Winnipeg lost like we mentioned. So that means the Western Conference top spot remains Vancouver's even with point percentage. And point percentage wise, they're pretty, I think, pretty close to Florida, slightly better than Florida who have a game in hand. It's the Rangers that have them be right now. The Rangers have slightly better. No, no, they're the same. It's same points percentage, but I think it's the second tiebreaker that has the Rangers ahead of Vancouver. Rangers have 38 regulation wins as well. The 45 ROW, so one on that. So technically, they don't have the best record in the National Hockey League. The Boston Brewers losing tonight. They're at 97 points in 71 games. I don't care about first, honestly, like I prefer they don't win the President's Trophy. Just like, I don't care, but yeah, don't win the President's Trophy. Does finishing first in the West matter, though? We'll talk more about that on the other side and we'll get to more reaction from Canucks players after a 4-1 win over the Habs. Considering the way the Habs are, the Montreal, sorry, the National Predators are going and considering what's going on with the Vegas Golden Knights, is it pick your poison or does it really matter? We'll discuss that and more after a big Canucks win over the Montreal Canadiens. And this is the Canucks Central Post Game Show presented by the #5 Orange of Vancouver legend. They've got sports too. More next on SportsNet 650. Talking all Canucks all the time. It's Canucks Talk with Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drans. Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Canucks Central Post Game Show. Join the discussion on the official home of the Canucks, SportsNet 650 and the SportsNet Radio Network. Claude Colson tried a shot top angle, held out by Montembeau, Gallagher's out of the box. Canucks over two of the power plays, and Roman can't hold into the line. Gallagher steals it from him, and here's Suzuki left wing to center. Makes Suzuki for Gallagher and alone to the back hand, stopped by to Smith. Great save on the breakaway chance for Brendan Gallagher by the former Montreal Canadian Casey to Smith. Critical win was that. That's a two goal swing. You know, that's a great point. I forgot about that. You don't convert on the power play on five on three, and then they score it. It demoralizes the team. It really does. And I think Casey with that save kind of let everybody breathe a little bit. So a key moment in the game. You're 100% right. Canucks head coach Rick Talkett, singing the praises of net minder Casey to Smith, made a big save on Brendan Gallagher to maintain the lead for the Vancouver Canucks. And they go on to win 4-1 over the Habs, and this is the Canucks Central Post Game Show presented by the number five orange on sports and 650 and the sports net radio network. Keep your thoughts coming in to our Dunbar Lumber tax them box 650 650. If you want to grab a phone line, you can do so as well. 604-280-0650. And we are going to get some Canucks player audio. Kaniquita Zadora of a big game from him, had two goals. We're here from him. We can also hear from Connor Garland and other Canucks players as well. If time does permit. Now, before we get to what the Canucks players think about their performance tonight over the Habs, what are the people saying to our Dunbar Lumber tax them box pick? Adam, texting in, Adam Hortichuck, saying first in the West definitely matters. I don't care about who we play in round one. Gotta be good teams, but it'd be sure next to you guarantee home ice advantage until the Western Conference Finals. This one, Brendan and Naimo, do you guys know why Nashville is unstoppable right now? Fores works pretty good. Yosi is great, but I didn't see this coming at all. And call him in Port Moody. Who would you rather face in the first round? Vegas or LA? Ooh. Honestly, I don't really care. I'm very pro like handle what you can handle and whoever shows up is the one that shows up. But if we're answering a question here. Okay, we have to answer the question. Sure. You got to face with what you got to face. Honestly, it doesn't matter. But there is such a thing as matchups where you may stack up against a bit better, which may pose less or more challenges. These are just facts in terms of determining matchups. But as we know, anything can happen in the seven game series. I would still say the LA Kings. I think I don't think they're quite as prolific as with some of their analytics kind of tell you about them. I think they can be picked apart a bit more than that. I don't love their goal tending. I think their defense is good. I don't think it's as good as people make it out to be. They're six total defense men. And obviously the Canucks said I believe have more firepower than the LA Kings. It's going to be a tight series, not a lot of very low event hockey. And we saw the last couple of times the Canucks played the LA Kings, how they can suck the life out of games as well. So it's not an easy opponent, but I would still say I'd rather see the Canucks play the Kings than the Vegas Golden Knights figuring it out in the postseason. Yeah, that's probably my bet as well. But the Golden Knights look so unimpressive right now. You're just betting against the value of, hey, when they get the full roster, will they hit this ground running? But they kind of have the vibes of the Canucks when we're waiting for Daniel City to even come back. It's like, oh, well, they'll be fine. They'll be fine. They'll be fine. And then the time just kind of catches up to you and suddenly you're not fine. And you got to recover and it's just not enough runway. So the way they've been playing is not overly impressive here recently. But if Stone's in the lineup and the Marsh hurdle comes back, the pedigree would be there for Vegas Golden Knights. But the way they're playing is not inspiring. No. No, it hasn't been inspiring so far. But again, it's more about how does it all kind of come together in the postseason. But yeah, the team that I think you got to be careful asking for Nashville in the first round. They're so red hot right now. And the thing, when you get hot like this, sometimes you start playing well above your overall abilities and the enthusiasm and energy those guys have right now for them. Like they're playing like they're a foot taller. That's how they like when you watch Nashville play around, they don't look like anything like the team that we saw previously in the season. And I still think they have shortcomings that ultimately will prevent them from making a deep playoff push. But there's certainly a team that can win the first round. Like, would you be shocked if they knock out whoever they may meet in the first round? No, I agree with the point you were making earlier today on Central. It's just because your hot doesn't mean you're going to win the cup. But you could be a first key team in round one. And especially when you're on form. Yeah. And that's a tough matchup all of a sudden. And they have one of the best goalies in the league who's hot. And that's the extra scary part, right? And a Norse winning D-Man and a guy who can score goals. Foresburg's like a red hot. It's getting 40 goals again. Like it's insane. There's markers there to be concerned about going up against. I much rather face them in round two. But that's not a reality that might present itself, obviously, for Vancouver. Yeah, and fast Eddie Gregory just sent the message saying the Preds have some cup winners that make them dangerous too. McDonough. McDonough. Even Luke Shen. Rhino Riley. So they have some experience mixed in there as well. Again, not a cup contender, but a tough team in that first round. All right. Let's go to the foam boards. We'll get some more text messages as well to our Dunbar, Lumber text inbox. Let's go to Richmond, where we have Rob on the line. Rob, thanks for calling in. What are your thoughts here tonight? Yeah. Not bad. Not bad game. Thanks for taking the call. I wanted to talk about what I've been hearing about. Again, the Connect management is showing that they're going forward with trusting what they have coming up in development. But then you've got this contract with Hornetech. He wants eight million. Forget it. You've got Quinn Hughes, or top defenseman. If Hornetech can't accept seven, somewhere around there, six and a half, seven. Take it to not discount. I mean, be thankful you're playing with Quinn Hughes. He's an ultimate defenseman. I mean, it's nice to see him paired up with somebody who, and they get along very well. But I mean, Petey took a haircut. It's time for Hornetech. We can't sign. We'll take for eight million. What do you guys think? Well, I definitely want to sign Darcie Hornetech for eight million, but I get your mean Philip Huronik, absolutely. You could have just moved on. I have to get the joke in, man. But no, I understand Rob. I agree with Rob. I agree with Rob. I agree with Rob. I agree that I wouldn't be paying Huronik eight million dollars per season either, and especially playing alongside Quinn Hughes. Like I get. I totally agree with the point that he's making. The thing is, you can't force a player to take less. You can't force a player to take a contract you think he's worth, where he may think he can get more elsewhere potentially. Does that mean he's not going to get re-signed? No, it doesn't. Today, Frank Cyril Valley mentioned on Canucks Army that he doesn't think Huronik's going to sign for less than eight million, and he feels very strongly about the information that he has and doesn't think it's going to happen. He's going to get eight million is what Frank thinks, whether it's Vancouver or elsewhere, maybe not going to be in Vancouver. So is he even willing to take less? That's going to be up to him. I agree. Like if he wants to be in Vancouver and be part of this team, he's going to have to take a little bit less than he could get elsewhere. What is less? It's kind of like the Bull Horbad discussion a little bit where yeah, maybe what you think is less is not the same of what he thinks is less. So he may think, let's say for argument's sake, like I'll sign for seven, seven, five. To me, that's a $250,000 discount or outside for seven, five, that's a $500,000 discount from what I want. But if you're looking at six, six and a half, then you're a million apart. It's like the Bull Horbad thing. It's like, well, Bo probably would have taken a bit less to stay in Vancouver, but he wasn't going to take like six million. He wasn't going to take even seven. It was going to be like seven and a half. Sure. You want me seven and a half times eight. He got eight times eight. That's kind of the discount players give. So I'm sure he's willing to give you a few hundred K less, but the range in which they're asking for that to be a bit less just may not be aligned. And I think ultimately that's going to have to be the key here. Does Heronik like it enough in Vancouver? Well, where he's willing to play enough ball to stay because I don't think he's going to he's not getting I don't think he's going to eat million in Vancouver. It's just I don't think it's going to happen. And you got to be willing to draw hard lines. The certain numbers you just can't cross. And if players well within the right to demand all the money they can get and there might be a market for Philip Ronik at eight million dollars. I'm hard pressed to see the market, but if there's confidence that they think they can get the number, especially on a very fantastic season, I can make the argument that he deserves the money. But I'm just not sure which team is going to be the one that steps up and is willing to do it. Yeah, absolutely. A lot of reaction on the text in the box that's one says, man, I wish Darcy was here right now. First in the West and close to first overall at the moment, yeah, it connects, doing fantastic in the standings so far, and especially here tonight Keith from Haney goes on to say home ice all the way. That's what the connects have to try to get and of course you want to get it if you can and everything. I just don't know if winning, if winning, the president's trophy really matters or not. I'm just laughing at the violence in the text and box right now. We're like, good for you, so that way to call out my notes. My 650 Dunbar Lumber text handle threw that guy off. Adam Hordichuck texting in. Look, man, you can get nervous on the big stage here calling in, leave that one alone. Yeah, these things happen 100%, it's going to have to, yeah, all right, keep your thoughts coming into our text in the box, 650, 650 Dunbar Lumber. Yeah, this person says here, remember when the Leafs won in Florida? Yeah. Be careful what you wish for. Yeah, totally. Be careful what you wish for. And generally speaking. But also, when you're the lead dog on the block, I don't really care about picking and choosing like, oh, I really hope they get to face St. Louis Blues. If you're the number one seed, you're the number one seed. And you should be able to take care of business in the first round. I don't care about creating the path of Leafs resistance. If you're meant to be that good, show up and be good. Simple as that. Absolutely. Jason and Cochran says, Rob's take is from Mars, Hughes is having Norris type season in large part due to Hoardichuck Huronik being his partner, Jason and Cochran texting in. Yes, of course, like, I think Huronik's a big part of it. Absolutely. It's just, is he actually an eight million dollar player? That's where I kind of where the hang up is, right? That's kind of where the hang up is. But yeah, a lot of good thoughts. Who do you think would be the team that would be prepared to spend that much? I don't know. I've been looking at it, man. I mean, I don't find the perfect team. It doesn't mean there isn't a team. Yeah. And here's the thing about the off season, too. The teams make moves. Guys, go out. It opens up. Like, what we see today may look a lot different once we get to the off season, right? So, but right now, I'm just not sure where that fit is. Like, a team that would have stood out to me was Philly, but then they go in and get Jamie Drysdale. And just sign him. Sign him. Yeah. That's all right. We have Drysdale's a writing defenseman. He's supposed to be the future for their team offensively. And that's not to say Chicago could lead, but they have set shows making a ton of money playing the right side, right? Arizona could. But they're also when it got Dursi and a couple of young guys, like, is that where they want to go? They probably want to spend on stadium. Yeah, exactly. They're not going to spend that much time. Or Utah. What about Utah? Utah. They're still a year away, I think. So maybe he wants to go there as a UFA. Maybe that's the grand plan. Yeah. I mean, quiet market, man. Sure. I mean, maybe a team like San Jose. They don't have any defenseman. Yeah. But they're years away. Yeah, they probably just. Are they giving up what? Yeah, the way they just cashed it on hurdle. I don't know. Are they giving up picks? Yeah. And like high end value for a rental or not a rental for a guy, they have to sign them when they're years away. It doesn't mean that teams are out there. Right now, I struggle to see which team, but things can change once the offseason does come around to dramatically. All right. So, Dora, a big game from him tonight, two goals for the Vancouver Canucks in their win over the Montreal Canadiens, also had the game winner for one win over the Habs. And here is Nikita Zudorov, post-game, meeting with the media, talking about what went right tonight for him and the team. Yeah. So we're solid. I mean, obviously we blow a couple of leads in the past, you know, I thought we'd take responsibility for that and the guys played with the pride today, defending the score. But for you personally to score a couple, check in with the offense. Yeah. I mean, just, first one was a simple, just to get the shot through a laugh, had a good screen. It went in. It was a good puck placement. And then the psychologist jumped in the rush, made a good play. It was just, just had to hit them out there pretty much. Yeah. How about the physicality from the team, you see Noah and pods throwing a bunch of hits tonight. What do you think about that? Yeah, I mean, that's what we expect for them. I mean, Joel's been really good this year for us. I mean, he's a physical player, it's fun to play with him, you know, pods when a young hungry guy makes the lineup, you know, he's just going to do everything he can to stand. So I think he's been playing well as well. In case he spoke pretty highly about the way you guys broke the puck out today, so it's mainly what works so well for the defensemen and the forwards against all you guys together. Yeah. I mean, we'd work off the unit of five. I thought we had a really good gaps and that kind of make them dunk the puck and then they didn't really have a good four check. I thought that was a difference in the game, you know, when it's not a hard four check on you when the guy's picking for you, when you have some time to pick the puck and make a plan to use on it, it makes our life easier for sure rest of the score. On your second goal is your jumping up. What are you seeing from them that's going to leave that space for you to get into the rush there as a trailer? Well, digress if they turn the puck over in the corner and then just pretty much I went quick up to a laugh and then I saw their two forwards were boring behind the net, so I just had to find a soft area, just to form my knives. I think we've been working a lot on practice for that and get played by make to keep his head up and make a play for me there. You talked the other day about the need to close out game. I think you said that you need to step on the opponent's road. Is that what you've done in the last couple here? Yeah, I thought, you know, our puck management has been so much better when we're leading the game. You know, obviously they got one back late in the second, I don't think we broke. I think we had our confidence, you know, it's a young team we're learning still, you know, there's still time to learn before playoffs and I think we've been doing a good job in the past, you know, like we were taking taking that game against Colorado as the example for us how not to protect the lead, so I think we've been doing a good job since. That is Nikita Zadora of two goals for him tonight, Canucks win 4-1 and he was talking about Visily put Colson to and what he saw from him, the enthusiasm he played with, the forechecking ability that he had and, you know, he has acquitted himself well and there's a different mentality we put Colson so far and I think that's been a real positive but big performance tonight from Nikita Zadora of helping the Canucks win 4-1 over the Montreal Canadians. He's coming in to a Dunbar Lumber text unbox, 650-650 and we'll also get to some post-game audio from Canucks players plus Ian McIntyre as a Canucks central post-game show continues presented by the number five orange on the home of your Canucks sports net 650. Hitting the most important topics for Vancouver sports fans, the people's show with Bignizar, subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. This is where you talk Canucks, you're listening to the Canucks central post-game show on the official home of the Canucks sports net 650 and the sports net radio network. Our player of the game tonight is Nikita Zadora, two goals, five shots on goal plus two one block shot and a hit and he's looking for the third goal, he's not shy about it. Canucks win the draw, try for the lengthy score. Tyler Myers got the rooster away for the left point and Niels Omon tipped at home in the slot, he hasn't scored in his last 23 games but he makes it 4-1, Canucks in the third period. And this all starts from a face off win by Teddy Blueger, good job by Pogg Colson to get the puck to the point where Tyler Myers lets a rooster go and Niels Omon straight off the face off going towards the net and makes the tip right in front of David Saabard with his back to the net that beats Montebo to make it 4-1. Canucks win 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens, contributions from a number of different players, all Canucks players cashing in tonight with a big victory which is very unlike my co-host tonight, big Nizar on the post-game show who did not win the 50-50 which he has set his sights on. He was very, and his night is going so well that he just missed, he was trying to throw - I'm furious. - In the spirit of March Madness, Bick is trying to throw a crumple of paper into a garbage bag bin and he was like 3 feet away and still missed the bin so that just kind of - I don't know why I stepped into the rink today and I was like, I got a magical feeling tonight. - Yeah, you felt good. You just convinced yourself, where you're like Canucks fans because the commits in themselves are going to win the draft lottery some years back, only to be left in complete disappointment. - Yeah. - It was supporting the Sadeen Family Foundation tonight and I don't know, I was feeling good about it. - You felt good vibes? - I was feeling great vibes about the 50-50 tonight. - Oh man. - And also because it was delayed because there was no final commercial break. - Right, yeah, yes, we didn't get so - I forgot to check what the number was. - Yes, I saw as we were signing off hitting into a break last segment, Bick was going through it and I just saw the disappointment wash over his face. - If you didn't get the number because it didn't show you're in the arena or something like that. It's BV1207964. Congratulations. - Yeah, just seeing the look on Big Space right now, he convinced himself he's going to win the... I mean, he just can't stand working with me for one more night so now he's going to stay here the rest of this night and be back here on the weekend as well. I know why you're disappointed, Bick. You are listening to the Canucks Central Postgame show presented by the number five orange. We have a lot going on on the text inbox. Let's hit some of these before we get to some more Canucks players. Any word on Dakota Joshua, Dave, Tech's back would be nice to have him back. A lot of others asking about Dakota Joshua as well. I don't know if he's had a setback. I just think that the expectation, the hope had been he'd be ready sooner than he was. Now, it could also be one of those situations that it's not 100% why mess with something. You're not in dire need to bring him back so maybe give it an extra week or so. I was expecting to see him skate this week and I think that's kind of the team thought so as well. Let's see where he's at next week. And Rick Taco was adamant the other day of they're going to shade towards the longer side of it just to be safe. Well, like we don't know exactly what it is, it's an upper body injury. Some thought that maybe it's a broken finger or something. So yeah, why mess with it? Especially a guy who plays a physical style, you know, jams, you know, it works really hard around the corners and every once in a while might get into a fight as well. Probably best to make sure that it's 100% healed and ready to go. But he should be back ahead of the postseason at the very least, but taking a little bit longer than hope at this point, six fifty six fifty. A lot of thoughts coming about Heronic after that caller earlier, Rob says this one, Jacob and Campbell River for argument sake, if Heronic got offer sheeted at eight million dollars, the Canucks compensation is a first, a second and a third. Is that fair? Well, they paid a first and a second to get him. Yeah, I'd be fair. Along with a fourth they got. Yeah, they gave up, they got a fourth back and return. So they'd be getting more. Yeah, that'd be quite the inflation on that. It would be. I don't know if that happens because the thing, it's a big contract to give them plus the assets to give up. It just, it's a lot. I think his trade market is probably pretty similar to what the Canucks gave up to get him, but because there's a year left, maybe slightly less, but let's say the Canucks, you know, feel like they can't sign in the half to trade him slightly less than what they got or sorry, the one they gave up. I could see that because he's in the last year of his deal, a guy who has to get paid a big contract coming off a big deal, like, I'm saying it could be similar and not more, but do you take even slightly less if you can't stay if you can't sign him because you rented him for a year in Texas? You can view it as you rented him for a year, had success and now you moved on. So even if it is slightly less, I think you can live with it considering what he gave you this one year. Oh, I think like the primary value he's provided this year. Yeah. Let's just say for argument's sake, that you get a first and a fourth instead of getting a first and a second. I guess the consideration would be is the first better than the one that you gave up? I doubt it. Again, it depends what team is looking at, it's like, oh, we really want to look at it. Yeah. I doubt it because the Canucks ended up trading away the 17th overall pick, like it's a good pick. But the Canucks got a good pick for Horifat, it's all worth it obviously, but you know, that's just my one wonder about it because on Twitter, I got this tweet from Rodney, Rod at Rodney did it, talks about Horonac's contract. A lot of fans like him always give their view on the contract from the team's perspective. We love to get 17 for six sheets and maybe we will, but he's going to get paid and is deserved, like to see it around 7.35. I think those numbers, I can see being fair, again, it all comes down to Horonac. I think the Canucks have a number and if he's willing to play ball and stay, it can happen and we'll see, ultimately, if that does happen. I just found it really interesting in the entire discourse of this, you know, one of the things that set it off. I know Frank Servelli's been reporting an eight, eight, he's been saying this basically since what? Very consistent. Very consistent. Yeah. The fact that Patrick Levine on your guys' show, uh, deadline day was willing to say, yeah, we've made an offer. So clearly the offer was turned down or at least it's either sitting there, but the other camp has a, a real offer, not, oh, we're, we're in conversations with Pedersen's camp and we have a good relationship with them. It was, we've sent out an offer. Well, and you know, it's, it's one of those things where there has been reporting, obviously, from people that would know Horonac's camp and I'm not saying Horonac himself specifically that have put out what his number looks like. So clearly the Canucks' response to that was we've made a fair offer through the public and I think that's all about what we're going to hear from them and I wouldn't be surprised if they're up to offer a little bit. I just don't know if it's going to be at the number that Horonac wants ultimately. And that's why it's something that may take some time to figure out, but they have all the way up until the offseason. So there's really no super urgency on it at this point in time. All right. Something else you want to hit here, Bick, before we hear from Connor Garland, who scored a goal tonight. Uh, let's get to Garland. All right. Connor Garland. We'll accumulate in the inbox here. Scored back-to-back games, big, big performance tonight, a huge goal helping the Canucks win. And here is Connor Garland talking about getting that big win here tonight. Yeah, we played, uh, we played well tonight. Obviously, um, you know, these are big games for us being at home and, uh, you got to take advantage of them. Uh, and you know, our team's, uh, playing well and getting rest at the same time. So it's nice. And, uh, you know, we got some big games to come up, so just keep following them up. How important was the 4-check for you guys tonight? Well, they're really good, uh, defensively. Um, I thought in the first, uh, with their breakouts, we couldn't really sustain a 4-check. Um, you know, and then, uh, I thought me and Hoggy kind of got going a little more in the second to make some plays and wear them down. And then in the third, we just, you know, played lockdown hockey, played the way we have to when, uh, when we have a lead. Can you talk us, uh, through what happened on the, on your goal where you saw something? Uh, yeah. Teddy just made a great play. Um, you know, we want to be slashing across his wingers and, uh, you know, he just had some poise and put it under the guy's stick and hit me and stride. And I was fortunate enough, like I said earlier, the D was on a end of a late shift. And, uh, you know, I was aware I was going to have some time there. He just couldn't get all the way over. So, just got lucky and hit the post and went the right way. A couple of games now with Patterson and Hoglander has, uh, you're allowing me 20 things so far. That's a good player. So they're easy to play with. Um, you know, we had some chances tonight, we had, we had, uh, opportunities to make plays, um, you know, that we didn't convert on, but, uh, you know, that's how it goes. So we'll, uh, we'll just keep working at it and hopefully have a good practice tomorrow and then, um, get ready for Saturday. Which was the third period tonight? I felt like there was a different level of energy on the subject. All the, I think the chances they had, obviously Casey was there for us. Yeah, that's slapper, kind of halfway through the period that that was a really big save for us. Um, and then, you know, we didn't really give him much. So that's, that's kind of how we play when we're at our best, but there's the first period of third period. But, uh, you know, late when you have the lead, you got to be on your game. And I thought it would work tonight. That is Connor Garland number eight for the Vancouver Canucks scoring his, was it 15th goal this season now? Yeah. 15 goals. Does he get the 20? Five goals in 12 games. This guy is so funny. No, the reason I set a number that he might not get to, the reason I set three weeks, I could be like, hey, you didn't get 20 goals, you're such a good girl. No. That's not what I'm saying. That's exactly what you're doing. No. So I'm Max going to join us. I'm back turned to me and he said the way he's going, he might get the 20 by the end of the year. That's why I bring it up. We'll talk to I'm back when he joins us. Sorry. I didn't watch TV. Well, not on TV. Like I was sitting with him, you know, we didn't even speak about this on TV or it was more off here. And he's like, he'd be like, did you get over that topic? You're like, I got already talked about it with reach on Tuesday, like I mentioned on Tuesday. I was like Icarus flying too close to the sun. So I can't do that twice in a week, you know, how much are people reading Greek myth these days? Well, I think Icarus is as well enough known that people know what it is. You would think so. I think so. Text in 656.50, so you get the Icarus reference at 1110 p.m. on Thursday night. What is it? Icarus. What's up? Okay. Last year when the habs came to town, I joke with Elon on the show, like, hey, have you watched the hockey sweater, the famous 1980 animated short film Canadian classic, and he said, no, so let's go to tonight today. We talked about it. I was like, hey, have you watched the sweater yet? I was like, no. And sometimes people don't know the classics. Yeah. Sometimes you got to learn new things. I get it. So Icarus might be a dated reference for some. It would be. I mean, I know for one person it's not a dated reference. I don't know. He understands exactly what I mean when I say flying too close to the sun, like Icarus did, and the man to bring that down. We can talk about syssophists, syssophists, I'm sure you would. Or edipists. Although you don't know the real story about edipists, Rex, that's not quite as, it's, yeah. Well, anyways, let's bring in the man we call the triple threat. You watch him on TV, you read him on digital. He's about to hear him on radio. He is Ian McIntyre. You guys are talking Greek mythology without me? Well, we're setting the stage for you. By the way, I'm always a little nervous when I come in and Cam Barris sitting in the booth. I think like, should there be someone from human resources with us here, just in case? Well, Cam said he wants to talk to us after the show tonight. So, okay. Well, and the fact he hasn't left yet, that's the thing I'm worried about. There's like, if he takes off early, I'm like, all right. There is no protection for radio guys anyways. It's funny too, because I met Cam Barris for the first time. Was it 2014? Well, 2013, 2013, 2014, was the summer when I just got hired at 1040, produced a morning show. And Cam was, I think he was an intern and he was working part-time, and he actually taught me how to work the board as my first producing job, even though he was the intern and I was the producer. Wow. You know, from humble beginnings, this is at SportsNet? No, this is at the other station. Yeah, the other station. Yeah, the evil network. Yes, you were the board operator. Yes. And then the producer. And the producer. The glue man. You were a glue guy. That was the glue guy. Yeah. And who did you produce again? Bro, Jake, and Dave Pratt. It was quite the adventure. I was a lot of fun, will ya? I'm an ex-face right now. But no, I have said- I have said nothing. I have not incriminated myself- No, he has not, he has not. I have disparaged nobody, no, other than myself, as I regularly do when I come on here. Yes. And I feel badly about it, but then the feeling passes. It does pass pretty quickly. And quicker than it should. Yeah. Fantastic. Lotso says, a couple of Eurodites. Excuse me. Who says that? Lotso. That's what I thought used it. Hey-o. Alright, as far as the Vancouver Canucks here tonight, winning 4-1, it was a pretty- I mean- Didn't fly too close to the sun. No. No. Very measured in their elevation. It was a very good game. Like, a well-executed game. One team going to the playoffs, one team not, but you know, Montreal, they can be a handful. They got a lot of team speed. They got all these young guys here to impress, and you know, the Canucks kind of just handled them like a superior team. Yeah. Yeah, that's what's so impressive that they keep finding their form defensively. There's now eight games, eight goals, five and five. And they just repel- and Montreal is aggressive. They played the same way the whole night, just sending four guys in and trying to create some traffic, but everything got pushed away and everything was fine. Oh, bick, now I feel like I should take a break or just pretend like I'm engaged in the show while I text in that nugget of information to SportsNet for my story. Eight? Eight? If you listened- If you listened- If you listened to the radio show because I'm on radio, yeah. If you listened often, you would hear me say that fairly often here recently. I don't own a radio. If you have the SportsNet app- Yes, I actually, you guys would be surprised and I would be embarrassed if you knew how often I do listen to you through Listen Live when I'm on the road. There you go. Hearing stuff. Stuff. Hearing thoughts. Yeah. I mean, sometimes it's, you know, stuff, but sometimes it's good as well. Sometimes they have been good defensively. I had this one that in the last nine games, and they lost the first of those, but in the last nine games, which followed the collapse against Pittsburgh when they gave up the third period lead, they gave up 40 shots, they lost them overtime. Since then, they have averaged 23, well, under 24 shots against per game average, which is pretty good, you know, because there's a couple of games in there, it was over 30. So they've 17 shots tonight, and they're just, they're yielding so, so little. I mean, now there's been a couple of those games. They fell off the defensive wagon, and they gave up, especially too many great A-scoring chances. But this is a team that got itself out of that February funk, not by outscoring their problems or, you know, putting it in the hands of their superstars or getting, you know, brilliant gold tending from Thatcher Damco to steal them games or anything like that. They did it by just outplaying everybody at five on five and giving up so little to the opposition at full strength. And you know, that's a tremendous platform to have. I'm not sure they had that platform in the first half of the year, honestly. I mean, and yeah, they have been much better defensively all season than they were, especially the first half of last season and even towards the end, they've been better all season because of Tockett and what he's brought in and his staff and the way they hold this team accountable. But they didn't have to play this way in the first half of the season, and we're winning so it was hard to say, okay, can you play this way if you have to play this way? And right now, I mean, I guess they don't really have to until the playoffs. But it's it's sure nice to see that they have this now it seems as a platform. And all the offensive stuff, all the fans stuff, all are, you know, fretting about the power play and specialty. Everything is secondary to how does the team play at five and five? Do they control the puck? Do they control more shots in the opposition? Certainly, do they control more scoring chances isn't even more important one? And you know, right now they are and fairly consistently from game to game. I actually like, sorry, get you off there. Six two and one, by the way, in the nine games, even having lost that first one. I like that it's problem solving internally and it's kind of choosing the harder route to go that it's not relying on damn code, that it's not your star players and just trying to go over them and the power play is masking over issues. And it's organization since Al-Vin and Rutherford have come in, it's they've chosen the harder route of oh, we're not just gonna rely on lottery luck, we're gonna do the difficult thing of get a little bit better and we're willing to do a chance like Corona comes in, even though the conventional thing would be just take the pick and solve it down the road. They've chosen the harder path and this nine game strikes as kind of a sample of that whole organizational philosophy. Yeah, I don't know if it's if it's the harder path, it seems to be these days the path less traveled. I almost reprimanded you because you said route and you said it twice and I'm pretty sure you weren't born in Texas. I mix it and match. I spent too much time. He's a football guy. He's a football guy. He watched football. He always watches football and routes and receiver routes. They always call them routes, right? Citizen of the earth. Yes. It's just, okay. Completely donated to me. All right, but luckily I didn't make a big deal out of it. So. You could think you're going to order completely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you have to give, I think, all Veen and Rutherford credit, but and all Veen probably, you know, Rutherford is such a big figure in the game. I mean, Hall of Famer, like living Hall of Famer working. I'm not sure that all Veen gets quite enough credit for because he's, you know, the end of the day, he's making these hard decisions or, you know, risky decisions, bold decisions. And, and certainly the vision that they had that a lot of people couldn't see initially has, has come to fruition. This is what, what they wanted their team to be. It's by no means a finished product. But again, and we have done this over the course of the season, you can go through almost every significant personnel decision they've made and they've gotten it right. And someone said to me, well, well, what if, what if they don't resign, uh, Ronik? Well, doesn't that look bad then because, you know, they made the trade? Well, not necessarily. First of all, we'll see what they would get back in any hypothetical trade if they don't sign them, which I'm sure is probably not too dissimilar from what they gave up. They might do better. They might get more. I mean, certainly, uh, if you go by the argument that I'm sure Ronik and Allen Walsh will make that he's a much better player now, then why wouldn't you maybe get even more if you can find a team that wants them not just for next season, but believes that they can build a defense around the point I made to just quickly to me to go back right before you joined us was even if you get slightly less is a worth it renting it for the year and having a success. See, I knew you were talking about trade after this way. No, I wasn't. I'm saying you brought up the trade. People are texting in. I'm just saying, I'm just saying, like even even if you get slightly less, I think it's worth it because you rented them for a year and look at the year you're having. Yeah. Well, yeah, and I was going to say you can't discount the value of what you've gotten out of this season and look where they are in the standings and Ronik has been a part of that. He's been, you know, in my mind, very much a complimentary piece, a part of that, but an important one and he's allowed Quinn Hughes to have yet another, you know, record-breaking season, which we're kind of all just ignoring now, like, oh, yeah, he's breaking his own records, whatever. But Hughes is having an amazing season, is going to be a Norris Trophy finalist, at least, and maybe he'll win it and Zadora, or Zadora, Ronik deserves some credit for that, but, you know, if they move them on, if it doesn't work out, then they'll get other pieces here, but it was a bold thing to do at the time. It enraged a lot of people, including some people in our business, but it's proven to be a good decision for them and most of them have. I don't know how I got so sidetracked on Ronik. Ronik, I'm already asking you about it, but maybe somebody brought it up. And, you know, we'll show a level of creativity as well, that they take this chance of, hey, here's a one-year rental of an RFA, that's not something we always see. Well, also, you know, you need to get to a point as an organization where you truly believe that the sum is more important than any one part, that no matter who it is, and, you know, we didn't get to find out what they might have done had Patterson, you know, not wanted to sign right before the deadline or how that would have gone, but I suspect, I suspect internally, they had, well, I don't, not only suspect it, I know they would have had contingency plans, they would have had plans to go on without Elias Patterson. And luckily, they signed them, and, you know, this wonderful player, potentially one of the best who's ever played for this franchise is going to be here a while yet, but I think as an organization, and I think, you know, Rutherford, this was his vision when he came in to build an organization where the organization is stronger than any one guy or two players. And so, you know, whether it's a hard decision, excuse me, a hard decision on Philip Ronik this summer, whether it's a really hard one next season with Brock Besser, whether it's a hard one two years from now about Thatcher Demko, you know, I hope all these guys stay. But I think it'll be a sign that the organization is getting to where it wants to if it feels like it can continue, and it's not reliant on any this one guy or that one defenseman or or anything like that. Now, again, we're a long way from that, but I think it brings us back to this idea of how strong, not just this team is on the ice this season, but how strong this hockey operations department, how strong this franchise has suddenly become. Absolutely, and, you know, in terms of the overall team play too, we talked about the defense and you're kind of alluding to where they all start break, they've played some of their best defensive hockey. They've had some bad moments over this break, but now 11, 7, and 3 in these 21 games since then. And what I think is interesting is I think they're giving up less quality chances now than any point of the season. So leading into the all-star break, the connects were averaging giving up 11.04, high danger chances per 60. A lot of math for 11. 11 high danger chances per 60. That's also a small number, so I'm hoping that the improvement isn't going to be 10.96. Well, no, it's not. Okay. So 11.04 at the time was 13 best in the National Hockey League. Over these past 21 games, the connects are down to 9.2, high danger chances per game, which is top three in the National Hockey League. So the connects are giving up even less quality chances right now, and I do think a lot of it, as good as the defense has been the team game is, you have a lies Lindholm, you have three centers, you have real backbone down the middle, and tonight, there wasn't a single passenger up front either in terms of their four check and how the lines were playing the back pressure they had, the strength down the middle. I think that all plays a part into why they're just injured defensively even. Yeah, I think that's probably going to be an undersold, underrated aspect of tonight's win, is that, you know, the fourth line got a goal. The third line, and I think one, there was a line change going on, but the third line was involved in both of the Zadorov goals. Garland, I guess that's with PD, that would be the second line, right, when Garland scored a Blugger set them up, so that was where there was, you know, a partial change. And so this win, which was, you know, impressive in a lot of ways, in a very sort of professional win, was done without anything from the top line, like J.T. Miller, I think, had a solid game, and certainly is involved a lot in a lot of things, but they didn't need that line to score, so that, to me, is an impressive thing. I also think those bottom two lines, and most of the guys in them, I'm, you know, it's great for Neil Zaman that he got the goal. We'll see how much of a role he has pending injuries down the stretch, but I think Lafferty has come back strong, like after a long lull where he wasn't the same player he was in the first half of the season. I think McCabe is coming back strong after a long spell where you hardly noticed him, and now you're noticing him again. Teddy Blugger, I think it took him a few games to adjust to, you know, being the fourth line center, and not quite having the same role as he was when he was the third line center between Garland and Joshua, but now I think he's back right on top of his game. And, and then, you know, pod calls and coming up, like, I know it's, it's really small steps and a lot of people want him to play more and give him this and give him that. You know what? He's doing great with what he's got right now. And if he keeps playing the way, is he will get more opportunity, but he's, he's doing exactly what they need him to do, you know, six hits tonight to co-lead the team with Noah Julesen in just over ten minutes of ice time. That's a good fourth line game, especially when their line contributed a goal as well. That's a good fourth line game. So just, you know, let him continue to do that. And maybe those fourth line games become third line games at some point and, you know, beyond this season, maybe he is in the top six, which is where he started training camp, hard to believe. It started training camp as a top six guy and, you know, certainly has that potential. I just think all the way through their lineup, and especially at the bottom half were for so long during the winter stretch, they just got very little offense. And it had been such a trademark of their superb first half, all that offense they got, and then the third quarter kind of disappeared, it's starting to come back, and that's another good sign among other good signs. Yeah. The McKay of re-emergence would be massive, especially when they didn't make a trade at the deadline. You think, you might be one guy short, if he's stabilizing, not that he's the goal scorer, he needed in top six, but just another effective guy who could play in the top six in his role. That's huge. He looks much better the last time. Well, just a guy who makes the most of his shifts, wherever he's playing, like not wasting shifts, not drifting, drifting through games. What I notice about McKay of, I mean, his skating, yeah, it looks like it's coming again. I, you know, it's not going to be whatever it looks like, it can still be better next year, you know, with the injury head. That's the reality, but his skating does look like it's coming back, you know, gets a couple points tonight. Maybe the confidence is coming back, but to me, it looks like he's much more engaged physically, and he's not a guy, and maybe a little disappointingly so, you know, when you see players play for other teams, and you have a certain impression of them, then you see them every night. Maybe the Canucks thought they might be getting just a little more physicality. He's not a guy who's ever going to, you know, just blow people up. But for somebody who always seemed to be on the forejacking on the puck, I thought he might be a little more physical than he has been, but I see him getting engaged now physically as well. And, you know, Brock Besser is a great example. You don't have to be, you know, physically intimidating per se, to be a really effective guy along the wall, when you use your body position, you protect the puck, and you are smart about your angles. And Brock has transformed himself in that regard with that part of his game. I think McKay of, you know, could do the same thing as well, and be much more of a physical force without necessarily being overpowering physically. Yeah, no, absolutely, and the Vancouver Canucks right now, I wouldn't say hitting on all cylinders, but no, they're getting their game back in order, beat the Montreal Canadiens, have another big game coming up against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, and that's when we'll chat with you again on the post-game show, Ian, so we'll look forward to doing that as well. Did you fly too close to the sun at some point, sir? Tonight? Yeah, no, not tonight, just destined for greater things in life, and... I don't know, bud. It's on the horizon. He's currently ascending towards the sun. I can't... I go home and watch TV at night, trying to turn off all this, and I see him on commercials all the time. He's like everywhere, trying to walk with sat through the arena, like, did you plant all these people here, sat, like, are you paying them, say, "Sophie, can you sign my shirt?" Yeah, that's all my buddies, you know, they come to games, and they just like to put you on. I don't know what it's like to be that popular. Not that I'm complaining. No, no, not at all, but never. Oh, you're people in grade nine at Burnett School. That is fantastic. We have opened the piano for us. We really have. I'm getting therapy. It's okay. These post-game shows do tend to be a good therapy session sometimes. Less therapy this year than years past, which I'm very happy about because, you know... I was Philly games lower. I'm an armchair therapist at best, and nobody needs this too much. All right, great stuff as always. You look forward to reading your latest on SportsNet.ca, and we look forward to chatting with you on Saturday on the post-game show, where we hopefully talk about another Canucks victory. No TV that night. I'll be fully focused. Yeah, we'll be in... I'm riding. I'm trying to get there. And we're here for radio. Hopefully, we make it on time. Saturday games have a tendency to go for it. Bick Nizar, back on the People Show tomorrow. What's happening? Vanny Sartini. On the show. Oh, look at you. The Red Hot Whitecaps. And Vanny Sartini. And he's had nothing to do with it. Has he? Well, he's back now. Well, imagine if they lose. The appeals are sorted out, and there we go. They say don't mess... They look good. Don't mess with the winning. Don't mess with the winning coach. Yeah. You know what? That's another organization, though, that looks like they've figured stuff together. Well, you know what? It seemed like for a long time, but not for credit for that. I mean, the Canucks Lions and Whitecaps look like in a bad spot like three, four years ago. Now, all three are kind of, you know, looking a lot more stable. It's good time to be a sportsman in Vancouver right now. All right. We got a run. We'll drop back with Dan Ritchie on Canucks Central tomorrow. We have Mailback Friday. Plus, we'll hear from Yannick Hansen and Rick Nash. Thank you all for listening. Thanks for Canberra and Fast Eddy Gregory for producing the show. As always, appreciate everyone contributing with your text messages, your phone calls. We're just listening and participating, as always. We love it, and we look forward to doing it again very soon. This has been the Canucks Central Post Game Show presented by the #5Orange on the home of your Canucks.
