Oilers 3, Canucks 2: Valiant push comes up short to end superb season

Article content

More adversity. More resilience. More results.

Article content

That was the Vancouver Canucks’ calling card all season, and when they pushed all their chips in to bet on a favourable Game 7 outcome Monday, they were hoping it was a winning hand.

Article content

It almost was.

They missed Brock Boeser, who was sidelined by a blood-clotting issue and had seven post-season goals, and they vowed to overcome the adversity and win one for him.

It was admirable, but it just wasn’t quite attainable, even though they made a valiant push before falling 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers in the deciding second-round series thriller at Rogers Arena.

An inability to generate offence, and even a shot on a four-minute power play in the opening period, proved a crucial element in the setback. They were outshot 29-17.

However, Conor Garland gave the Canucks some life when he pounced on a turnover in the slot and went short side on Stuart Skinner with 8:33 remaining. And when a Filip Hronek slapper from the point beat the screened Oilers’ stopper with 4:36 left, it made for a nail-biting finish.

Article content

The Canuck pulled their goalie, they attacked the net, they came up short.

For the Canucks, who defied long pre-season odds to make the NHL playoffs, and then silenced their critics again by winning the Pacific Division with a 109-point season, this was not supposed to be how it ended.

Getting past the Nashville Predators in the first playoff round was supposed to be a stepping-stone.

After all, they have a Norris Trophy favourite in Quinn Hughes, a Jack Adams Award favourite in Rick Tocchet and Vezina Trophy finalist in Thatcher Demko. They had a 40-goal scorer in Boeser, a 103-point dynamo in J.T. Miller and plenty of moxie to overcome obstacles.

It bodes well for next season, but right now everything hurts. Really hurts.

Article content

Article content

Here’s what we learned as the

Oilers advance to the Western Conference final.

Self-inflicted power play pain

It was supposed to be the dagger.

It was designed to inflict lasting pain on the opposition and be the difference, because in a special-teams league, it has to be special. However, it was suspect once again in the biggest game of the season and a big reason why it ended with a thud.

You can’t be blanked in the last four series games and go 3-for-22 in seven games, especially against the vaunted Oilers power play that was operating at a league best 36.8 per cent heading into Game 7.

On a four-minute man advantage late in the first period, the warts were clearly visible with no shots with a chance to strike for the all-important first goal.

Article content

The Canucks struggled to enter the zone, whether it was drop passes or being pressed by an aggressive penalty kill. It took away the points and passing options. And even when the Canucks possessed the puck, they stood around and tried to thread the perfect pass.

Silovs tried to save the day

Arturs Silovs was writing a rookie playoff story comparable to legendary Ken Dryden in 1971 as he backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup and won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The lanky and likable Latvian was remarkable in this first post-season appearance, including a shutout in a series-clinching win against the Predators. He was calm, cool and collected with razor-sharp movements and an ability to scramble to make remarkable saves.

Article content

All that played out Monday, but it was far from enough.

When Silovs started with a strong first-period save sequence — robbing Brett Kulak, getting a glove on a Connor McDavid dash and thwarting Mattias Janmark on a wraparound attempt — the shot clock read 12-2 and he wasn’t flinching.

It took the 13th shot to elude Silovs, a Cody Ceci slapper from the point that found the high stick side early in the second period. And when Zach Hyman tipped an Evan Bouchard point shot less than five minutes later, the Canucks were really on their heels.’

Silovs made a toe save off a pinching Bouchard before the lethal Oilers’ power play put it away. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was in perfect position to beat a sprawling Silovs to convert a Bouchard shot that came off the endboards.

Article content

Pettersson press, Mikheyev miss

Rick Tocchet was looking for a hero Monday.

The Canucks’ bench boss nearly had one in Ilya Mikheyev and could have had one in Elias Pettersson.

In the absence of Boeser, they joined Miller on an alignment that should have screamed redemption for the wingers. For Mikheyev, who had one goal in his last 61 games, taking a sweet Miller feed in the first period and slipping a backhand deke wide on Skinner was a snapshot of his season.

For Pettersson, he was energized and engaged from the outset. He threw an early reverse hit on Mattias Ekholm and hustled to the slot to be ready for a feed. He then drew a double minor when he threw another hit on Ryan McLeod.

That was impressive, but like his teammates, a failure to generate offence was the crushing blow. The Miller line was held to a combined two shots. It was the story of the series.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

Article content

Toggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

28. 

Next Gallery ImageToggle gallery captions

All 28 Photos for Gallery

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

OK

ROUND 2! SIGN UP TO GET YOUR FREE CANUCKS PLAYOFF POSTERS: We are proud to partner with the Vancouver Canucks to bring you this year’s edition of the longtime Province tradition, the Canucks Playoff Poster series. CLICK HERE to get a new player poster emailed to you every game day, plus all the posters from Round 1!

Article content