Canucks facing elimination as Vegas rallies for third-period win
Posted August 31, 2020 12:32 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The Vancouver Canucks are looking for answers after a pair of playoff losses to the Vegas Golden Knights on the weekend put them on the brink of elimination.
The Canucks blew a third-period lead Sunday and now trail the Knights 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Sportsnet 650’s Randip Janda says the Canucks actually played pretty well in the fourth game, for the most part.
“The powerplay started going again. Five-on-five, they were actually decent, for most of that game,” he said, “and then it fell apart in the third period.”
Overall, the #Canucks played much better. Got chances in the danger areas & played a solid 40 mins. But the margin for error vs Vegas is slim to none. Speaks to how good VGK is.
Missed chances & a couple of goals Markstrom would like back.
— Randip Janda (@RandipJanda) August 31, 2020
Vegas scored three times during a five-minute span of the third to win 5-3.
Heading into Game 5, Janda says the Canucks need to score first.
“Because Vegas, when they score first, they haven’t lost in these playoffs. And just make sure you get a solid game from Jacob Markstrom.”
He adds it’s also important for the Canucks to focus on just the game at hand.
“The key is, and J.T. Miller said it yesterday in that press conference, post-game, is that you cannot think of it as 3-1 and coming back and winning three mgame straight. The mentality has to be, ‘Alright, just get the next one.'”
Markstrom should be rested for Game 5 after starting back-to-back games on the weekend, while Vegas went with Marc-André Fluery on Sunday in place of Robin Lehner.
“I felt great. There are 5 (goals) I’d like to have back”.
Jacob Markstrom on playing in back to backs & his game tonight. #Canucks
— Randip Janda (@RandipJanda) August 31, 2020
“Overall, fatigue surely is going to take a toll on a player that is in there every single night, and remember a back-to-back for a goalie, you don’t see it that often,” Janda says. “It’s doable. It happens all the time. But Markstrom — even though this guy played a lot this year — eventually, it catches up to you.”
He adds the Cancuks needs a better overall effort from the team, as well.
Game 5 goes Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. at Rogers Centre in Edmonton.
