At this time of year, for teams that are already guaranteed to be postseason bound, there’s something more important than results on the scoreboard. It’s really more about how you’re playing the game each night, rather than the actual results.
Canucks Vs. Sharks: Vancouver Pulls Out Shootout Win In Playoff-Like Contest
You're preparing for the playoffs at this point, and if you play hard half the game and win, is that really as valuable as playing hard, strong, determined hockey and, for some reason, losing a tough game 1-0?
For the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, that might be a bit of a consolation after falling to the West-leading Vancouver Canucks, 5-4, in the shootout. We'll let SB Nation's Fear The Fin explain:
Yes, the first period was inexcusable. Still, San Jose peppered the first place team in the league with 48 shots and was able to come back in the game thrice. The power play could have been better, but it needs to be stated that Vancouver also has the league’s premier penalty kill to go along with their first ranked power play.
I was very impressed with the effort tonight, especially from players like Thornton (25:17 of ice time), Marleau (27:34), Ian White (26:45), and the aforementioned Clowe.
This team feels different to me, and I don’t see how anyone who watched tonight’s game could feel any different.
The Canucks grabbed two more points to keep them high atop the West and even the NHL, a full seven points ahead of their nearest challenger. Detroit sits in second place in the conference and is a full 11 points behind Vancouver. Barring some type of collapse in their final 13 games, it looks like the Canucks have home ice throughout the playoffs all but wrapped up.
Elsewhere in the NHL...
Coyotes 3, Flames 0: Ilya Bryzgalov made 39 saves as Phoenix held off Calgary to take possession of fifth place in the Western Conference. That should last about 24 hours.
Flyers 3, Leafs 2: Mikhail Grabovski scored a goal off his face, but it wasn't enough for the Leafs to overcome the Flyers on Thursday night at the ACC. Brian Boucher was quite good for Philadelphia, making 27 saves on top of goals from Andrej Meszaros, Darroll Powe and Claude Giroux.
Ottawa 2, Florida 1: That happened.
Predators 4, Wild 0: We talk a lot in Scores & More about how the Nashville Predators rely on Pekka Rinne every night. Well, he was great as usual, but they didn't lean on him all that much, scoring four goals to top the Wild, who they're in direct competition with for the final Western playoff spot.
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