Canucks 4 Flames 1: Demko’s sharpness, division title stoke hype, hope

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There’s always a challenge with taking care of business.

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That’s how the Vancouver Canucks approached their final home game of the regular season with an opportunity to clinch the Pacific Division title for the first time in 11 years.

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Still, the anticipation of hosting the first playoff game at Rogers Arena since 2015 was on the minds of many before a convincing 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday to seal the title deal and still have a shot at topping the Western Conference.

“I’m not going to lie,” said Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. “I’ve talked to some guys and they want the playoffs to start. This is all part of maturity and dealing with things. It’s a businesslike game.”

The Canucks responded by striking twice in a 1:28 span of the opening period and Thatcher Demko displayed zero rust with a sharp, square and steady return after missing 14 games with a knee injury. He denied Nazem Kadri on a trio of Grade A chances and it took 33 shots to deny the starter his sixth shutout of the season at 10:56 of the third period.

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An extra save went to Quinn Hughes for sweeping a loose puck off the goal line early in the period.

And when the Canucks extended their lead to 3-0 early in the second period, the Flames lost some fire to play spoiler until a Nils Hoglander cross-check penalty and an ensuing scrum in front of the Calgary bench.

Here’s what we learned as J.T. Miller, Tyler Myers, Dakota Joshua and Hoglander scored for the Canucks, while Brayden Pachal replied for the Flames.

In Demko they will always trust

Depending on your birth certificate, it’s easy to recall big and standout stoppers.

For Tocchet, it was playing with Ron Hextall and Tom Barrasso.

For Miller, it was playing with Henrik Lundqvist and Andrei Vasilevskiy.

However, the Canucks centre sees something special in Demko. It’s not just the size and the mobility, it’s the dedication to rank among the game’s best and be set for the playoff test.

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“There are a ton of athletic goalies who are talented, but his work ethic, and his brain and mindset, is what separates him,” Miller said Tuesday.

“He works harder than anybody and competes harder. He has been unreal for us.”

Demko was sharp from the outset.

He made a right-pad save off Kadri and then frustrated the Flames’ centre off a partial break in the first period and then again on a power play feed that found Kadri alone at the top of the crease.

“It’s his temperament,” Tocchet said of Demko. “The big-time goalies, you can just tell. When the pressure hits, they’re not flipping and flopping and diving. They continue with their style. Demmer is a big goalie and just looks big in the net. 

“It doesn’t matter if the team is all over us or not, he stays to who he is, and that’s why I love him.”

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Is Hoglander playoff wild card?

For the bowling-ball Hoglander, playing in the top-six mix means not forgetting his bottom-six mantra. Play hard. Play direct.

That’s what the improved Swedish winger did to give the Canucks a two-goal cushion in the first period. On a tic-tac-goal sequence started by Ilya Mikheyev, it was Elias Pettersson’s sweet cross-ice feed that found a streaking Hoglander for his career-high 24th goal of the season.

“It’s new territory playing him higher in lineup,” said Tocchet. “When he plays a simple game, he’s at this best. I love his motor and some great stuff, but he’s got to be Hoggy. Sometimes, he gets in trouble and starts to lose his man or changes at the wrong time. Little things, but they’re correctable.”

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Hoglander’s effort came 1:28 after Myers was sprung by Teddy Blueger on a short-handed breakaway. After former Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko rang a power play shot off the post, it was Myers going short side on Jacob Markstrom.

Did you see smart Joshua move?

It’s one thing to be sprung on an odd-man rush. It’s something else to show a veteran-like patience to freeze the goalie and then pick your spot.

Joshua broke in with Elias Lindholm and first looked off the former Flames centre, which momentarily froze Markstrom, before picking the far side. It was Joshua’s career-high 18th goal and 32nd point.

And the winners are …

The Canucks announced their annual awards Tuesday on Fan Appreciation Night and the winners weren’t surprising.

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Miller was named most valuable player, most exciting player and the leading scorer for being the engine to drive the offence with his career-high 103 points (37-66) to rank ninth in league scoring.

Hughes, who leads all blueliners with 91 points (17-74) was named top defenceman and winner of community leadership. Joshua was named unsung hero and Pettersson tops the most three-star awards.

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