The Canucks face the Maple Leafs on Saturday, looking to win a third road game in four, which would keep pace in the tough Pacific Division playoff chase.
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VANCOUVER CANUCKS
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27-23-6, 5th in Pacific Division
at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
35-15-4, 3rd in Atlantic Division
saturday4 p.m., Scotiabank Arena.
TV: CBC, Sportsnet. Radio: Sportsnet 650 am.
WHY WATCH
This is the fourth and final game of the Canucks’ four-game eastern road trip. Heading into the trip, it was clear that the Canucks needed to win at least three games. They’ve won two, setting up this Hockey Night in Canada contest as the latest in a long series of crucial battles. The Canucks still need 35 points or so to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. They have 26 games left. Every loss makes the task a little harder, every win simply maintains the pace.
LEADER POINTS
CANUCKS
1. JT Miller GP 54 W 21 A 40 PTS 61 (+7)
2. Quinn Hughes GP 52 W 4 A 39 PTS 43 (+11)
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3. Elias Pettersson GP 56 G 17 A 21 PTS 38 (Even)
MAPLE LEAFS
1. Auston Matthews GP 51 W 37 A 31 PTS 68 (+11)
2. Mitch Marner GP 45 W 21 A 36 PTS 57 (+17)
3. John Tavares GP 53 W 17 A 33 PTS 50 (-3)
SPECIAL TEAMS
CANUCKS: PP 20.6% (16th) PK 70.4% (32nd)
MAPLE LEAFS: PP 29.0% (1st) PK 84.2% (6th)
THREE THINGS ABOUT THESE TEAMS
• Special teams: Powered by MVP candidate Auston Matthews — he’s scoring goals at an incredible pace and is a top-notch defensive player to boot — the Leafs continue to have the league’s best power play. The Canucks’ penalty kill remains the league’s worst, though it’s been improving in fits and starts. They didn’t take any penalties on Long Island, which is always the best way to avoid giving up power play goals. It’s a hard feat to manage, though.
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• Scoring from the defence: No one looks at the Canucks’ defense corps and sees an offensive juggernaut, but the simple truth is you need to get goals from your blue-line no matter who is in the lineup. And for the first half of the season, other than Quinn Hughes, this was a problem. There wasn’t any added contribution coming from the defense and no team has success when their depth players aren’t contributing, be they forwards or defence. But lately, the Canucks have been getting goals from the defense. Indeed, all six defensemen — Hughes, Luke Schenn, Tyler Myers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brad Hunt and Travis Hamonic — who suited up Thursday vs. the Islanders, have managed to score a goal at some point over the past nine games.
• Mr 1,000: Wayne Simmonds missing the Canucks game in Vancouver means the Canucks’ visit Saturday is a milestone game for him. He’s pugnacious and a fine depth player to have, the kind of player the Canucks don’t really have in their lineup.
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