Canucks enter second round as underdogs against Edmonton Oilers
Despite a better regular season record, including a clean sweep of the Edmonton Oilers, the Vancouver Canucks are entering the second round series between the two teams as underdogs.
The Canucks won all four matchups between the two teams this season and outscored the Oilers 21-7, but three of those games came early in the year when Edmonton was struggling.
They have since replaced then-head coach Jay Woodcroft with Kris Knoblauch, who helped them turn their season around.
"I think they're pretty deep. They can play a physical game. They play a fast game,” said Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov. “They play a good rush game so there is definitely a lot to expect. It's a big challenge for our group for sure."
Oilers captain Connor McDavid led all scorers in the opening round of the NHL playoffs as he tallied one goal and 11 assists as his team dispatched the Los Angeles Kings in five games.
The team’s second-line centre Leon Draisaitl sits just behind him with ten points, including five goals.
"(The Canucks) played a good series against Nashville. Low scoring,” he said. “You know they're going to defend well and so are we, so it should be a good series."
The Canucks outscored the Nashville Predators 13 to 12 in a tight-checking six-game series.
"When you look at how good Edmonton is offensively and how explosive they are, no matter how well the Canucks play defensively, you'd be hard-pressed to think if this series goes six games, they're going to be able to limit Edmonton to just 12 goals like they did in the last round,” said TSN’s Farhan Lalji.
Injured all-star Thatcher Demko was on the ice at the end of Canucks practice at the University of British Columbia on Monday – but he is not an option for game one.
Expect rookie Arturs Silovs, fresh off a 28-save shutout in the series clinching win against Nashville, to get the starting assignment.
Head coach Rick Tocchet says avoiding unnecessary penalties will be key for his team in this series.
"They're incredible on the power play and they feed off of turnovers,” Tocchet said. “So, those are two things we have to be good at."
The Canucks and the Oilers are the last two Canadian teams standing and whichever wins this series will keep their hopes alive for ending this nation’s 31-year Stanley Cup drought.
The 1993 Montreal Canadiens are the last team from north of the border to win the cup.
Game 1 and 2 are Wednesday and Friday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver before the series shifts to Edmonton.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
With DNA break, police ID victim in decades-old Newfoundland case
A skull was found along a backroad near St. John's more than 20 years ago. Now, police have finally identified the victim of the homicide.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing plan defeated in House of Commons
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing bill has been defeated in the House of Commons with the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois voting against the legislation.
B.C. man to be extradited to U.S. on charges of sexually assaulting stepdaughter
A British Columbia man will be extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible life sentence if convicted of charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted his stepdaughter, after losing his appeal of the extradition order Tuesday.
Trudeau must more publicly support ICC decisions amid Israel-Hamas war: ex-ministers
A group of prominent former politicians and current academics is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to change his tone on the possibility of arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.