'Eat, sleep and hockey': Canucks shake off travel headache to blank Maple Leafs

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a save against the Toronto Maple Leafs during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, January 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks' plane landed around noon.

The team then embarked on a slow crawl through Toronto's notorious traffic — with a police escort — to its downtown hotel.

There was time for a meal, a quick nap, and not much else. A gutsy effort under Saturday's bright lights soon followed.

Hughes had a goal and an assist as Vancouver blanked the sluggish Maple Leafs 3-0 after their initial fight was cancelled Friday due to inclement winter weather following a 2-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"A lot of character in here," Hughes said of his team. "No one was feeling sorry for themselves."

Hockey players are notorious creatures of habit, but the travel woes didn't impact a group that desperately needed a win. Vancouver entered 1-3-3 over its last seven and had registered a solitary regulation victory as part of 2-4-5 slide since mid-December.

"It was hectic," Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers, who had two assists, said of the stretch leading into Saturday's game. "Seemed like we were waiting for a lot of different things. The guys handled it well. It was a tough 24 hours with travel and the back-to-back. The guys didn't let it affect them and came out with a lot of swagger."

Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet said his players did their best to ignore the disrupted schedule.

"It becomes a problem when you talk about it, and we didn't," he said. "You're going to have these challenges and you need 21 guys going. We all worked in the right direction."

The Canucks (19-13-10), who wrap up a five-game road trip Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets, jumped in front 31 seconds into Saturday's first period and never really looked back against an opponent that has now lost two straight on the heels of five consecutive wins.

"Definitely got momentum right away," Vancouver centre Elias Pettersson said. "We just got more juice from that and continued going."

Saturday hearkened back to playing junior hockey — where arriving in a new town or city on game day is the norm — for the Canucks.

"Eat, sleep and hockey," Pettersson said. "Everyone's mindset was to not let it affect us."

Vancouver, which has been plagued by inconsistent play and reports of a rift between Pettersson and fellow star forward J.T. Miller, will now look to build on Saturday's effort as the club aims to regain its footing in the Western Conference playoff race.

"A lot of heart," Tocchet said. "This is a resilient group — takes a lot of punches and it gets back up. This is one of those times."

The Leafs were serenaded by a chorus of boos at the final buzzer after a sub-par effort on home ice that followed Thursday's 6-3 road loss in Carolina.

"Not good enough," Toronto defenceman Chris Tanev said. "Outworked us."

The club will look to get back on track when it continues a three-game homestand Tuesday against the red-hot Dallas Stars.

The Swedish centre missed six contests with an undisclosed injury before returning Friday against Carolina.

Pettersson picked up an assist on Vancouver's first goal at Scotiabank Arena and added a late shot block to earn praise from his coach.

"One of Petey's best games of the year," Tocchet said. "He was terrific."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2025.