[MUSIC] Back in on Canucks Central, we're in the Kintec Studio. Kintec, Canada's favorite orthotics provider, powered by thousands of five-star Google reviews. Soarfeet, what are you waiting for? We bring in our next guest, it is Kevin Woodley in Gold Magazine and NHL.com. And he has a presentation of White Rock Hyundai. What's happening Woodley? >> I don't know, is there anything going on in the goalie world today? I got new gear. >> My God, we can hear it. >> We can see you too, that looks such sharp. >> That's nice, put me in coach, I probably should have put a little green on there. The way Canucks are going through goalies that might be up next. >> How long do you, how much work do you do to break your gloves in? When do you feel like your glove's ready to use? You go right away or do you have to work it in for a few days? >> I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, sat on mine as well, have two blockers on out there, so it doesn't really matter. >> Not exactly a great catch or a pucks, my friend, but no, I do find we get so much gear to test and work out within Gold that for me, it's a really good excuse when you walk in with your teammates and like right away you just, hey guys, test a new gear today. So if a couple go ahead and it's not me, it's the gear, it's not broken in you. >> Yeah, that's always the excuse. >> You mean to tell me you're not doing the old Patrick Wahl like around the world windmill glove save every now and again, Woodley? >> I'm going to break in a few of these just for the office for you guys. I'm going to get a few patty-wahl windmills. I do the Patrick Wahl like towards the end of the career where I do the windmill, think I've gotten it, lies in my team, somebody captured it. >> Exactly. We'll get to the goalies in a second, but I do want to dive into game two a little bit here and some of the tactical things that have been ongoing and Nashville seemingly making an adjustment here in game two with their D zone coverage and part of the reason they were able to block 33 shots and also the Canucks not only getting 18 shots on net despite having 84 shot attempts. What did Andrew Burnett and the Preds change in the second game to really disrupt the Canucks offensive zone? >> I'm not sure it's a total change because we saw a little bit of it in game one. Me and Thomas Strandz were talking about it up in the press box, watching game one, noticing at times they were fronting a lot more in terms of rather than sitting back, the Canucks used such a good job of creating those layered screens. We've talked about it all year, it's a big part of their offense rather than engaging with those forwards and creating even bigger screen or trying to push them out of the way and creating more chaos and traffic in front of UC Sorrows. They're at times, and Ryan McDonough talked about this last night in the post game, it's all about a read as to when they're stepping out in front of those Canucks forwards. And because these point shots we've talked about all year, the ones through traffic and layered screens and tips and deflections that have been such a big part of their offense, because they're not typically off clappers or hard shots, you're not talking about breaking bones out there, right, like wrist shots aren't kind of stinging away, so they're doing it effectively. Early, I thought in game one, they were trying to create offense off of it, so like if you're out in front of the forwards and you do manage to knock down a puck and you transition quickly and sort of negate that back pressure of the Vancouver has been so good at, obviously there wasn't a lot of that last night because the friends didn't create anything, but it has sort of changed the way those screens form, the lanes that are available, even to shooters like Quinn Hughes, who is so good at finding them. And I think as we heard talk it, you were sitting next to me to reach in the post game last night, talk about there are ways to get around it. And he thought those looks were there and they just didn't execute. Now, I don't pretend, you know, JT Miller talked about shooting for sticks and some of the different lateral options you can get to get around those higher sort of fronting defenders, but one of the plays I wondered about that they hit on and created a great chance on. And bear with me here folks, because I'm about to suggest they missed the net on purpose. And there was plenty of missed nets last night when they weren't trying to. But you'll think of that save on suitor. Think of if they're coming out and you can't see the net and you show, shoot low off the endboards and create that scramble behind you, Cesaros, hell of a save by you, Cesaros, by the way, he said he did not see where that puck had gone. His reaction was purely, and goalies will do this, and one of the puck is they'll look at what the shooters are doing. He saw suitor going towards that area to get a puck, and he just got that leg across and made a great save. But there's an opportunity. When talking about empty nets and opportunities, there's one they should have cashed on. All you got to do is elevate it over the 12 inches of UC Sorrows pad. And I think chances like that maybe not all, but some of the things that talk it's talking about in terms of how do you get around that change in the way they're blocking shots and taking away lanes. Yeah. And one of the things I kind of wonder about is with that, can you start generating more low to high plays? I know that's easier said than done, but is that something that they can maybe try to do a bit more of to generate some more looks? Well, I mean, if you can work it quickly, low to high, it makes a little harder. You know, there's that read on the predators, and in terms of getting out in front, like if they're caught, if you're chasing behind the net, it's like my biggest pet peeve is when people say a goalie was too deep on a shot after a pass from below the goal line, like a quick bang, bang, pop pass, and they're like, oh, the goal is too deep. I'm like, the puck was a goal line, where the hell do you want them to be? Like, you know, it pucks below the goal line, I'm going to be at the top of my crease. But like, like similarly, if a if a defense has to come down to the goal line to protect, and you work it quickly back up top to create those lanes that have exploited all season, it's a lot harder for a defense to get out in front in front of those layers of traffic. So that's definitely one of them sat. But I think in listening to some of the commentary from the players post game last night, the other one is to start working and attacking down low, that if they're going to come out to the top and come higher in the zone, you've got to be able to get it down low and attack from angles. And I think when you look at Saros as a smaller goaltender, and we've talked about some of the exploitability in his game as a guy who's 5'10, you know, there's players on this team that should be able to hit that short side high when he's in a reverse. And if you watch him, if you're down, even right on the goal line, if you can take a step out, he tucks into that reverse and gets his head against the post. And it's almost like he's so protective of short side high and that goal that has become the buckaboo for all reverse VH goalies that he actually gives up far side low just over the pad. And there's a couple of areas that I guarantee is in their scouting report there. So if you're able to sort of go high back to low, don't be afraid to tack up dead angles. You know, it's the playoffs. You're not going to get the middle of the slot very often. So, and if you attack up dead angles and there's loose pucks and rebounds, you've got to be willing to win the battles in front of the net to get to those opportunities. Yeah. To me, it sounds and I'm thinking about the JT Miller tip in the slot that ended up hitting the post. I think it got tipped a couple of times before it hit the post. But if you're the conoxy, you've got to attack from angles because if the if the predators are trying to get in front and in theory, you should in front of you, then you should have body position closer down to towards UC Sorrows. Yeah. Yeah, you know, so get underneath as exactly what you're talking about. So if the shot blocking and the fronting is going to come higher in the zone, you have to be willing to attack from underneath it if you can generate that. And you're right. Like I think that one did hit a couple of hit, it eventually went off the foot of Alexander Kerry and on the post and listen, like a couple of near misses, right? And I know there's a lot of people that might say like, Hey, if you're relying on bounces and stuff to create your offense, like this is the downside. You don't always get those bounces, but there are a couple of really close plays where they almost hit on. And so I, you know, seeing them work at download, again, if the blocks are up higher and the defending is up higher in the zone, can you attack with pop passes? Can you get a guy in behind it? And as they did with Joshua late in that game, work your way into the middle and work low high without necessarily going back up to the top of, you know, top of the zone and up near the blue line, you know, just different ways to try and open up a predator's defending unit that has done a great job of taking care of the front of the slot and the net and all that area in front of little UC Sorrows. Now, Sorrows made a couple of great saves. You mentioned the suitor one, of course, and then also the one he made on Brock Besser. It was right in the slot and makes the, I think it was the blocker save on it. He had a couple of really good saves. He also left some net wide open now. Obviously East West passes the back door one, the peterson when he misses the net. How do you think he's looking in net UC Sorrows? Yeah, I mean, you know, like Sorrows has the ability to, I mean, to save on Joshua late, right, the aggressiveness to get that pad out there, I know the rebound ends up going off the post and he gets tied up, but even his recovery after they, you know, after Joshua can't bang that thing off the post as he's tied up, like Sorrows still gets a pad over there to make it hard. He's really quick. He's really good down low. I think they've done a really good job. You know, the peterson one is a wide open net, not just because of the past guys, but because the amount of traffic that you see is trying to see through, like he doesn't see that past, right. And so I think they've done a really good job. He is like, and this is, we think of the hits and we think of the shot blocking and the cumulative toll that that can take over a series on a player. Don't discount how bloody hard he has to work right now. And even in game two with all those shot attempts to find pucks, how active he is in doing that. He's not a guy who can look overscreens and just sort of sit and wait for it to come. He has to really watch it. Good to watch it. If you have a chance, it's tough because we never get the ISO on the goalie when the play moves up higher in the zone and there's all that traffic. Watch how hard he works to find pucks. And if we get into game six and game seven, I, you know, we talked about fatigue. This is a goalie that played more than anyone else. I wonder if that might start to be a factor in this series because, you know, not that he looked gas for anything last night talking to him, but man, he had to work so bloody hard to find that puck. And we saw the times when he didn't, and they just were unfortunate with near misses or posts. You know, that's something that I don't think people talk about is having a cumulative effect as the series goes on. And I believe it can. I know the, the game story coming out of game two is, is more like, okay, how do the kind of skit more shots on to UC Sorrows? But it seems as though they, they have been targeting the blocker side and I know it's been a part of the, the storylines coming out of these first two games. We see it again with the Zadora of goal last night is, is the blocker side a thing for UC Sorrows. I mean, like, listen, every goalie has relative strengths and weaknesses relative to a really good glove hand for UC Sorrows. Absolutely. It is. There's a door for one tips, right? Yeah. Like that hit. I think Jack Kowski in the high slot hit his stick and deflected. But for sure, we saw in game one, and I guess I haven't been on with you guys since game one. There's no question in my mind when you see the Lindholm goal. And then also when you see Pedersen from the right dot on an open look on the power play, try and shoot off his right hip underneath that blocker side arm. He's given up 11 goals in the regular season. I don't know if that's highest in the league. I didn't run a comparison, but I guarantee you there aren't many that have given up more there. Save percentage off the right hip underneath the blocker side arm is 656. So when I see that on my numbers, and I know that that's in their pre-scout, then absolutely. Why wouldn't you? If a goalie has that number on the blocker side and a lower number high blocker than he does high glove, you know, outside of maybe certain situations where, you know, you've got an open look and you're a left handed shot coming off a certain spot where you're always going to want to pull it and go glove, obviously you're going to try and target a relative weakness. I'm not saying the UC Star Wars has a bad blocker, but the way he holds it sort of out and away from his body and has a tendency at times to get a little punchy would be an overstatement with it, but he kind of, you can get a little stab you with it and that opens up, you know, space, they try to protect high if you use the stars and that can open up space underneath. So not surprised to see it would be shocked if they didn't keep going to it because you can create doubts, right? Like you pick a few high blocker, the blocker gets more active. You start to leak a few, you know, under the elbow, what do you do? You sort of, you might start to sort of default down into more of a blocking save earlier and now that opens up high blocker. So, you know, we'll see if they do, I'd be surprised if they don't though. Yeah, it's going to be really interesting to see because you're right, there's so many opportunities there for Vancouver, can they keep that pressure going in game three? Now on the other side of it, the Canucks net mining, Casey the Smith got his second start in the playoff game versus the Canucks in the playoffs and he was criticized for all three goals, some degree by fans, at least in some people, they mentioned the first one, maybe too aggressive going post to post. The second one, Forsberg, I know you mentioned, you know, the post play being sticking close to the post as something teams try to utilize and Forsberg goes high near post. The third one, I mean, the rebound, is it a bad rebound or not? Is Patterson who knocks it in? What did you see on all three of those goals? Is it fair to criticize him and where did you see, what do you think about his game last night? Well, I'm a little less critical just by default, of course, I've got a goal of union car to protect. I don't want to hear that, you know, knock it before somebody taken it away because then they'll take away all this cool gear I get. But you know, like, okay, so first one, the deflections high enough in the zone that you'd want to be a little more patient on it, I'm sure he'd say the same thing. It's a minute 14 into your first playoff start, the crowds chanting your name, that little bit of perhaps just a hair early, a hair aggressive with that push to his left. Like that's human nature, right? Like that's, you know, it's funny I was talking with Alex all done his way down in the elevator and we both kind of said, like, of course that's going to happen, like in that moment. But what, what cost him was actually, if you watch the replay and he talked about this in his post game interview, he slips out his left edge, he loses an edge and he can't push back across. I don't know if it was the ice or the edge, in case he almost never loses that. He is so good moving on his knees, it's one of the strengths of his game. Sometimes when we've talked about it, he can slide himself out of position. And so as much as people will look at the initial slide, putting himself out of the net, it's the fact he missed the pushback that prevented him from making that save. And that is not a push he misses very often. So it just feels like a lot of, you know, a lot of things just conspired against him on that one. Tough way to start, obviously. The Forsberg one, both defenders sort of shrink off of Forsberg to take away the back door. So would you like to maybe protect short side a little more rather than getting pulled off or cheating off at all yourself? Yeah, maybe. But I don't know. It's Phillip Forsberg getting allowed to walk in the corner. He's like four feet away from you. Yeah. Yeah. I think he scored a few of the last ones. He scored a few of the last ones. I blame on that one. Yeah. Just, just a handful, right? I heard of a good player. And you know, the last one, you know, we're talking about a good player. Like, because the narrative out of the national room, a lot of talk about Anthony Bavilia is a playoff performer. Like, I know we didn't see much here, but there is a history there with the Islanders. He has one plus one last night. Demko robbed them in the first game of a sure goal or what looked like a sure goal. But that's a good high shot that creates a rebound. And a couple of times they were up high and the puck ends up sitting at the feet. Like listen, you're just trying to make the first save. Would you like to do a better job controlling the rebound? Sure. Maybe you don't give up a rush chance that allows Bavilia to walk into the dot. He made some really good saves. Foresburg at one point, got to walk in, off the left side unchecked, below the dot. Casey, you know, stayed patient and upright and made a tough high save on that one. I know the rebound again ends up down in his feet. You're just looking for first saves on good looks and hoping you can keep the rebound in front of you. He did on the Foresburg one. He didn't on the Bavilia one that Sizzins ultimately gets credited for the three-nothing goal. I find it. It's one of those, when you're asking am I critical of them, Mitch Cornell is used to say like could have been shut-ups and I don't think, I don't think definitely not the second one. I'm not him at all. You know, the third one could have, but not a should have. Right. If that makes sense. Yeah. It makes sense. Yeah. And I think people that are being overly critical of Casey to Smith today, I don't know. It's just not, it's not the game story for me. No, and Rick Talk had just met with the media in Nashville and set the dismiss starting game three. So there's no concern about it, whether he's going to start the game or not, like he's going to be the guy for game three. Well, it, for me, it would, it was not a collapse. Yeah. The game wasn't on, on to Smith as we just talked about and like to, to put Arthur Shillov's in that, in that spot. I mean, it's got to be a desperation card for the Canucks. I would imagine to, to go to Shillov's in that kind of a spot. Yeah. Like you're down three one and Casey has a meltdown. Like that's what it's going to take, right? Maybe this is a different conversation, if not for Edmonton, right? Like that was a really strong bounce back performer to get for performance against Edmonton for Casey to Smith. So maybe the conversation is different if that's a case, but you know, the way Casey played that game, you know, again, there were some tough saves last night too. And that's a tough night. We've talked about this man is hard when your teams at the other end peppering the other guy and then the odd man rush here and there that you give up and you've been sitting there for five minutes watching the other guy make saves or watching your team pound the other end and get no results. Like it's, those are tough mental moments. And I think the experience of just Smith probably has value here. I think if you get into perhaps a desperation situation up for really tough loss, maybe you go to archers in a, in a more of a, you know, Hail Mary type thing, but, you know, at this point, I would be shocked if it's anyone but to Smith for three and four. Well, the other big question is surrounding Thatcher, Demko and it's kind of, you know, the elephant in the room to, in terms of gold tending here for this team and it's not promising even the coaches. We went 20 minutes without missing them. Do we just go 20 minutes without you guys asking me for Thatcher, Demko? 70 minutes. We waited to the end. I mean, I think, I think we all know what's going on at this point, right? Like, you know, you've been on a bunch of shows as well, right? And I know it's been reported. Ellie Friedman was on with Dan and Jamie yesterday on Can I Talk and mentioned it as well. And it was more reporting during the game and talking himself last night saying he went from day to day in the morning to week to week post game, right? So that kind of tells you where it's at and essentially whenever they found out yesterday was not great. Not great. And that's something Dragger mentioned too, right? And even talking himself when somebody asked him, so he's not playing in the first round, he agreed and said, yes, last night. So we know he's not playing in the first round. And it seems increasingly unlikely he's even going to be ready in the second round based on stuff that's kind of out there. So the outlook doesn't look overly promising, does it on Thatcher, Demko in the medium to short term? No, I mean, like it was week to week the last time, right? And that was four to five. So I just think, and it's the same knee and I do believe in the reporting that it's a different issue with the same knee, but at some point there's an integrity issue in the joint that you have to allow time to heal. I don't have specifics on exactly what the injury is other than just to sort of confirm what others have reported, others with a lot better connections to me than me about it being different, but in the same knee. We saw the play and that's what hurts the most, like that it was such an innocuous post entry. Like I watch him all day in practice, go into that without a problem and then it came after the empty net goal. So it was meaningless. Like it just felt like the ultimate like rip your heart out connects moment for to celebrate everything. And oh, by the way, 48 seconds left nothing. Anyway, so that's tough and knowing what he went through to get back is really tough, but the fact it's the same knee, the fact it's week to week to week, like it just, you know, I'm not expecting to see Thatcher Demko this round or the next round. That's just the reality, like knees take time to yell, and man, I've seen a lot of crap on the internet. You guys may have heard it can be a bad place, but a lot of like sort of replies to other stuff I've done, you know, about him and his health and, you know, the ability to play through it. I understand this probably happened because he came back, not saying directly related, but like you come back from one injury to make sure you're ready and put in all that work to make sure you're ready for the playoffs, but you're ahead of schedule. They said it, right? Like ahead of what the schedule for that injury would normally be. And you know, you're taking a risk. You're taking a risk with your body and ultimately, you know, it didn't work out for them. But like, what's the preference, folks that he wasn't ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs? Yeah. Like, you sort of can't have it both ways, right? Like, you can't say he's injury prone now when this injury was probably related to the first injury, even if it's not the same one and the comeback process, but also then like say, you know, like you wanted him back, like there, you know, those two things, quite often we say to, I know, Sat, you like this one, both things can be true. Well, in this case, perhaps not. Yeah. Well, and good luck keeping Demko out of a, out of a playoff game. If he feels like he's ready to go and has been cleared to play, right? Like. Well, and that's the other thing too. Like anything about timelines and everything, like I don't expect to see him just based on because it's the same knee and we're talking about week to week and like it's a knee and you're a goaltender. Like it's, it's kind of an important one, right? Yeah. Two injuries, integrity issue. But Demko. At least it's a bad injury. Yeah. Well, I'm the fact, the fact that the fact that it happened on such an innocuous play, you know, makes you wonder, you know, how much, you know, how much was, was everything, you know, the integrity of the joint, so to speak, not that I'm a doctor, I just play one on the radio. But if anyone's going to do this, it will be this guy. And the competitive nature, the passion he has for the position, how much he wants to be there for his team in this moment in the playoffs that led him to get back. Like I just wish all the people that are crapping all over the injury, saying things like, oh, you know, it should be back faster or is injured too often and all that. Like I wish they could get a glimpse into how much work goes into what he did to get back into how competitive this guy is and how much he wants to be there for his team. Like, for me, it was, it was heartbreaking almost to see the injury and sort of like just not about the Canucks, not, we don't, I'm an independent reporter, we don't cheer for teams, but just like knowing the person or knowing what he went through. And then to see some of the crap online, like, I don't normally get on the soapbox here guys, but like it's, it's really bugged me. And the injury prone stuff frankly bugs me a little bit too, because these aren't two separate things. He can't. You can't be like, oh, he got injured again. No, he was still just like last year. He misses all that time with a groin injury. It's directly related to the injury had the year before. Like this isn't, you know, new injuries. And so, you know, I just, I'm not ready to go there, frankly. I know a lot of people are and a lot of people are critical of it. I'm just not. So this is me pushing back. I wish we had more time as always, Woodley. Thanks for this. Are there other series going on with other goaltender? I have to sort of pull my head out of my Canucks bubble and take a look. Maybe next week, maybe next week, you know, we can break down Connor Hellebuk having a not so great start to these playoffs at some point, at some point. Another playoffs. Yes. Yes. That's good point. Yes. Very much. Thanks, Woodley. Thanks guys. Thanks for joining us on Sports at 650 brought to you by WhiteRock Hyundai. Visit the showroom on King George in WhiteRock or at whiterockhunday.com. Canucks playoff coverage on Sports at 650 brought to you by Merritt Kitchen's Canadian made beauty, strength and craftsmanship. Find an authorized kitchen designer near you today at Merritt Kitchen's.com, your tailored kitchen awaits. It's Dan Richeaux, Satyar Shah, you are listening to Canucks Central. Hey, it's Big Nizar. Have your say and join me on the People's Show with big takes and even bigger bets, weekdays three to four on Sports at 650 or wherever you get your podcast. We're back on Canucks Central Dan Richeaux, Satyar Shah. Canuck's playoff coverage on Sports at 650 is brought to you by Merritt Kitchen's Canadian made beauty, strength and craftsmanship. Find an authorized kitchen designer near you today at Merritt Kitchen's.com, your tailored kitchen awaits. Well, I still to get into here on Canucks Central, including a quick goal horn. The one game in the Stanley Cup playoffs currently on the go. It is the Toronto Maple Leafs taking a one, nothing lead on the Boston Bruins. Matthew Nye is the goal score after a great play and pass from Mitch Marner. Joel Edmondson getting the secondary assist is Mitch Marner under fire and delivers in the moment for the Maple Leafs to give them this one, nothing lead. Again, no William Nylander for the Leafs in this game, two series tied up at one apiece. Still to come a little bit later on the Vegas Golden Knights, going for a two Oh series lead on the Dallas Stars and the Oilers hosting the Kings for game two that one on Sportsnet tonight at seven o'clock. All right. So I just tweeted it out. We do have a giveaway for today's show. We do. We're giving away two tickets to the viewing party at Rogers Arena for game three between the Canucks and Preds. This also includes a VIP skate, which is taking place at the arena from 11 a.m. to 12 o'clock noon that day listeners can go to the skate and come back later for the viewing party. And these seats are in a special Rogers section and include snacks and pop. So it's pretty big prize. You want the ultimate watch party viewing experience for game three Canucks in Nashville on Friday night. It's a four 30 puck drop for that one or we're giving you an opportunity right now. six oh four two eight oh zero six fifty one triple eight two seven five zero six fifty will take caller number three for this special giveaway. Should have done 40 to inspire pet or something. You should have 40. If Josh had two hands, I might have done 40. Yeah. We already said callers three anyways. I've said 40. Dom is a Dom is handling. Oh, Dom is handling. All right. All right. All right. Let's do caller 40 then change of plans. Caller number 40. Get those fingers dialing six oh four two eight oh zero six fifty one triple eight two seven five zero six fifty caller number forty. I love Carla 40 because it makes these guys work. It makes them drop calls open the lines drop calls go to the next one. You know, they got to put a real work in the find the call. They got to sacrifice more than the Nashville predator's sacrifice to block all those shots. A lot of calls are being dropped right now. Call me back again by the way, the goal horn brought to you by rewind beer co find their big west coast IPA at a liquor store near you and celebrate big plays in a big way. It is Canucks central. So yes, caller number 40 you'll get in for the watch party at Rogers arena. And that's just for game three plus you get a VIP skate going as well from eleven a.m. to noon at Rogers arena could be a nice little prize for you. And your next opportunity to win will be with howford and bruv and Canucks talk tomorrow. So you'll have two more opportunities to win tomorrow. If you're not caller number 40 today, then callers tomorrow and listeners tomorrow will have another opportunity with howford and bruv between six a.m. to nine and of course with Canucks talk between eleven a.m. and two p.m. So the Canucks have arrived in Nashville and they're getting ready for game three today was a travel day that in practice, I'm certain that they will practice tomorrow because it's been a while. Yeah, they're going to practice. Well, yeah, they because they had optional the last one is an optional so they had an optional on Monday and then an optional again yesterday before the game. So I'm sure there'll be a practice involved for tomorrow's game. Don't know obviously about any lineup decisions or even Tyler Myers. But let's hear from the coach. Rick talk it just speaking to media in Nashville. Here's what he had to say as the Canucks arrive to Smashville for game three. Coach, what excites you about the opportunity to make some adjustments here? I know you like practice time and then get going here on the road. Yeah, we're a couple of days early. Good practice. Guys get to go get a good team dinner together. It's a lot of fun playing on the road playoffs, you know, as much as our building was outstanding and you're going to have another building that's great. So it just gets guys juiced up. Our team loves playing on the road and you got to play road hockey if you want to go far in the playoffs. I know you guys have taken a look at the tape. Is there anything else that you've seen in terms of adjustments since we spoke with you last night? I think we've got to give Nash a lot of credit. They had a lot of resolve. They played really well defensively. They blocked a lot of shots. They did a lot of good things. Yeah, there's a few tweaks that we can do. But you know, I don't think there's a major game plan change to be honest. Yeah, I just think it's just you stick with what you, you know, what God is here. But there are some tweaks I'd like to see us do differently and we'll work on that in practice tomorrow. Obviously, the resulting go the way you want it, but you could say that you've dominated a lot of parts of the game. Are there a lot of positives to take away from that game? Yeah, of course. I mean, just like game one, you know, there's positive that Nashville did. So I think you look at it both ways. You know, every game has its life of the zone in the playoffs. So you move on from it. You learn from it and both sides. And then you make a few adjustments. You know, you do some work and individually with certain players. And then you get ready for game three. Do you feel like it's significant that you no longer have the home ice advantage after just playing at home? No, I'm not concerned at all. I think it's important that, you know, we're a good road team. I think we're very confident going on the road. We know how to travel well. You know, it's a long flight, but you know, we're used to this. So there's a lot of things that we're used to. So, you know, just keep things normal around here and be ready for game three. It's a plan for game three to start case you good? Oh, yeah. Yes, case you'll start. In your experience in the playoffs, what's the key to getting to your game early on the road and what's going to be a challenging environment? Well, you know, that first five minutes, especially in this building, it's crazy. And I think you got to use it to your advantage. You know, I think if you look at the coach's handbook, everybody says, simplify. You know, I think advancing the puck, playing a simple game early is a smart way. You know, get a good hit in, good shot, maybe. And I think if nothing happens exciting on your shift, it's okay. Like you don't have to press the issue that the start and stay disciplined. It's when the crowd's loud and, you know, you tend to get a little overjuiced and take penalty. So I think being disciplined is a big key to you guys have been really physical through two games. Have you been happy with how they've kind of embraced that playoff gritty style hockey? Yeah. I think both teams. I think, I think for us, it's important that you embrace that pain. It's going to be it's going to hurt. And I think when you leave the games when it does hurt, you feel good about yourself. Coach, it was a bit of a whirlwind leading up to this moment. Have you been able to just take a breath now that you've had a day to just enjoy the fact that you've gotten here and that these guys have really put in the work to be at this point? Yeah. I think today, traveling on the plane, talking, you know, laughing, joking around, talking to other people. I think, you know, I think we've kind of breathed here the last couple of days of, I mean, today, just kind of dissected those two games, how electric that building was. We were talking about it again today. And just like, for me, guys that have an experience that are guys that first playoff are not, you know, not experienced, you're happy for them. So they get to taste this stuff and I think it'll settle some guys down, some guys down now knowing it's game three, they've seen the first two games where it is. Now can the can you raise your level? That's another thing. So can we raise our level? You just said yourself that the atmosphere at Roger Serena was electric and games one and two. Now you face the opposite scenario. We're coming as a road team to another allowed building, but it's your advice to all the players in that situation. Love it. You know, I love getting booed and whatever, they don't, the Nationals got great fans. They don't throw stuff at you, but I do love the fact that sometimes it's nice to be the villain and somebody booing you. I think it, I think it brings out the best insert, guys. So use it to your advantage. There is head coach Rick Talkett speaking to media in Nashville and a lot of media is still traveling. So it was a small congregation around Rick Talkett for that and didn't have a ton of questions to answer and not a lot developed in less than 24 hours from the game to loss. But Casey Dismuth getting the net for game three, that is confirmed. I don't think there was really ever any doubt in my mind. And as we talked about with Woodley in the last hour, you can go back and listen to it on the podcast. You'd have to be in a pretty desperate spot to go to Arthur Shilovs if you're the Canucks. Yeah, I slightly talked about before. My view hasn't changed on it really. To me, he becomes an option in game four, if game three doesn't go your way. Yeah. Well, let's say Dismuth has the same performance and the Canucks lose. Might be a decision to make. Now, let's say he was horrible and Woodley defended his play two or whatever it is. But he go down to one and if he doesn't inspire a ton of confidence, for instance, do you consider it then? Or is it Woodley said you have to be down three, one? I think being down to one and if his game is average, you may have to consider it with game four. But I don't think we're there. Like I mentioned, like the Smith gets game two and game three for sure. And that's going to be the question mark. The other mention from Rick Talkett there, we're going to make some tweaks. We're going to change anything from what we've done. That's got us here. But yeah, there will be some tweaks for game three. Now, what exactly those things are, you know, he sort of touched on it last night. We talked about it with Woodley. There's some things that they can do to counteract how Nashville is defending the Canucks and the fronting they've been doing in the defensive zone. Some of those things do they have to take shots from different angles? How do they open up those angles? Like there's the run of play hasn't been the issue. They've mostly nullified Nashville's rush and transition offense. But how does Vancouver go from being able to carry most of the offensive zone possession time in these first two games to translating that into more shots on net and more scoring chances? That to me is the key for Vancouver moving forward. Yeah. And, you know, like Woodley mentioned too, there are, like if they continue doing what they did and execute slightly better, you should get more opportunities. So there are other ways to broach it as well, right? Other ways for you to try to generate and talk it said there are going to make some tweaks. He says we're not going to change a lot. But yeah, there's certainly tweaks we're going to be making here ahead of game three. Yeah. And I think it's where they're taking shots from. Obviously, do you have the forced or the on purpose miss net once in a while to try and get that rebound off the endboards? And we'll see how Nashville changes too. I don't expect Nashville to shell up in the way that they did in the third period last night. No, I don't think so. Like that hasn't been their identity all season long. It just felt like they got, they went into desperation mode with the lead that they had. Yeah. I think it depends on the score too. Yeah. A little bit. But I think they, their team that has been very aggressive this year, taking chances and they did not do that at all. And, you know, the coach also mentioned he said he liked their commitment to pain because they blocked a lot of shots. But it's not a sustainable way of playing. Yeah. You know, being in your own end for a full 20 minutes and absorb, absorbing, you know, the amount of pressure the Canucks put on them. Both Rick Talkett and Andrew Burnett. Rick Talkett's motto embraced the pain and Andrew Burnett commitment to pain. Yeah. A hundred percent. They just love the pain. They do. But I mean, it doesn't talk, it seemed like a guy who's relishing being in the playoffs right now. Yes. He loves it. You know, and he's like, he's so excited about the challenge of being on the road. It seems like he's happy, you know, to get on the road with the guys for a couple of days. And having today to travel, he spoke with the guys on the plane, kept it loose or whatever. And really, you know, enjoyed the fact that they're here in the playoffs and traveling to Nashville. So you have a day you get there tonight and they're there now. Have a dinner. Hang out with the guys. Have fun. Enjoy the, you know, enjoy yourself a little bit, but obviously that party too hard and then have a good practice tomorrow. And is that the kind of reset you need here to maybe just calm down a little bit as well? Because as much as, yeah, game one, they're overly hyped. Even two, they were also pressing a little bit, you know, ripping their sticks a little bit. They all kind of need to relax somewhat. And does going on the road allow them to be more at ease here as they get more, you know, comfortable in this playoff series. Got to get out of your head in the, in the playoffs as maybe we saw a little bit from the Canucks last night. Canucks playoff coverage on sports at 650 brought to you by Merritt Kitchens, Canadian made beauty, strength and craftsmanship. Find an authorized kitchen designer near you today at Merritt Kitchens.com. Your tailored kitchen awaits. All right. Let's get to the goal horn. The goal horn is brought to you by rewind beer co find their big West coast IPA at a liquor store near you and celebrate big plays in a big way. The Boston Bruins have tied things up with the Maple Leafs. They're now at the end of two periods, Trent Frederick scoring his second of the series and by all estimations from the goal that I saw, pretty, pretty tough goal for Ilya Samsonov to be letting in. Don't want to get beat short side like that is, is what I would say. Yeah, not great. You know, and, you know, he, he, there was another shot, they, it was off the face off. Yeah. They shot it in from like, it was the neutral zone. He wasn't expecting it. Like hit him in the chest. And he was like, what happened? I was like, what is going on, man? Are you paying attention? And Brad Marsh on continues to be getting under the Maple Leafs skin, it seems, before the Trent Frederick goal, there was a battle going on throughout, you know, from, from the leaf zone into the neutral zone between Tyler Bertuzzi and, and Brad Marsh on. So Marsh on may not be as good a player as he was a couple of years ago, sat, but he is still the best in the league at getting under the skin of opponents. He really is. Like, he has mastered it. No, he really, he really has. And I mean, the thing about him too is his skill level so high, yes, that it's not just like a pest you can ignore, be like, hey, you're like a, you know, fourth liner, you're a plugger, you're a nobody, like he's going to get under your skin and he's going to score on you too. You're going to set up goals. And I think that's what makes it so incredibly frustrating that so often he's also one of the best players on the ice. Yeah. It's, it's pretty incredible. But what Brad Marsh on has been able to do a couple of texts, James and QB. Can you guys explain fronting the puck? New term need to understand. So we went through this a little bit with, with Woodley, who's, who's really good at, at explaining these types of things. But essentially the Canucks or yeah, let's say the Canucks and predators, right, for, for this series. If you go back and watch in game two, especially when the Canucks are set up in the offensive zone, Nashville is getting in front of the Canucks players at the net front or even in the high slot. So instead of giving them position or trying to get behind them to avoid them getting deep in the zone, Nashville defenders are getting in front of the Canucks to avoid them being able to get a stick on a puck, try to stop the tip, try to, you know, nullify their screen a little bit more, those kinds of things, and using that to get in front of them and block the shot rather than have the Canucks be able to tip the puck for those types of chances, which have been kind of the bread and butter of the Canucks offenses. Yeah, it's kind of like in basketball, where you close out a little bit and it's kind of like that you close out on the player. You're not so much concerned with the guys standing idly in position. You're more concerned about attacking the guy who has the puck to like reach mentioned, make it harder for them to get shots through, but also to your point, getting in front of guys so they can't get their sticks in front and tip. And, and I think one of the things that the Canucks did decently well in the first game and didn't really pay off of them was they had that tip from Souter on the huge shot. It's kind of what they're looking to do. If you front a guy, it's harder for Souter to get that stick on it, because the guy gets in front of them. He's not going to see the shot from the point as well. Exactly. So, so that's what they're trying to, especially with the Canucks being one of the better tip teams in the league, and that's something they really look out to do. So that's something they're trying to do to nullify, which means you have to get behind that layer of hunting, you know, and it's not as simple as shooting it through those guys. Some teams open up, but it's, you know, can you get low and high too, and can you get, you know, like underneath? Yeah, and like Woodley mentioned, that's Souter Chance, where the puck goes off the wall, and then he gets to rebound a bit of a set play, because that's one way to get behind the defense is throw it off the board, the puck comes out, and then those guys are now behind the defenders and have a cleaner look on the goaltender. One thing we did want to, this, this text came in earlier. We were pretty much out of time, but Tyler Myers impact on the series, overrated or underrated. He was good in game one, it wasn't there in game two and they lost, so the correlation is there. Underrated, one might say, we'll see how he's feeling, and hopefully the Canucks can get through Myers Sickness, and maybe a little bit of what's been going through the room without further, well, further injury, further sickness going through players on the roster. It's Dan Reicho, Satyar Shah, four producers, Ben and Josh. My co-host Sat, I'm Dan, we'll be back tomorrow, four o'clock, same time, same place. on Sportsnet 650.
