Canucks prepare for potential series-clinching Game 6 in Edmonton
The Vancouver Canucks are getting ready for Saturday's potential series clinching Game 6 in Edmonton, following Thursday's blood-pumping late 3-2 win over the Oilers.
But the team’s head coach Rick Tocchet is warning his players this will be their toughest challenge yet.
“I think the message is, it’s going to be really hard,” Tocchet told reporters on Friday.
“And, that’s all you should be thinking about – and whatever it takes to be done you do. I’ve said it a bunch of times, you've got to get back to earth. We really have to get back to earth. It’s going to be our toughest game, that’s the way you've got to approach it.”
The Canucks are becoming used to tight games. The team has now been involved in nine straight one-goal contests.
“I think the whole team, the mindset is, we’ve been so focused,” said captain Quinn Hughes on Friday.
“It’s not just the leadership group. It’s every guy in here. You see guys scoring, (Carson Soucy) last night, and (Phillip Di Giuseppe) and different guys stepping up. We’re a real team.”
Tocchet feels his team’s buy-in to a disciplined approach has helped in these tight games.
“You can’t just always go for it,” Tocchet said of the close games.
“You know, you’re up 2-0, you've got to manage the puck. If you’re down 2-0 with 30 minutes, you've still got to be comfortable. And I think that’s helped us.”
Di Giuseppe’s goal, in particular, added an extra bit of magic to an already special night. The forward had missed games due to the birth of his second child – in what he described as a difficult pregnancy – and scored a crucial goal to bring Thursday’s game to 2-2 before J.T. Miller’s eventual winner.
“It’s been a battle of nine months for her, and obviously with my job I’ve been away a lot, and she’s been in the hospital a lot, so we’ve had a lot of family coming in and out and supporting out,” an emotional Di Giuseppe told reporters after Thursday’s game.
“As I’ve said before, it takes a village – and it’s a blessing to have one.”
The Canucks aren’t waiting around to see whether the team advances. On Friday, the organization posted presale tickets for the Western Conference finals, with upper-level seats going for $445.
Puck drop for Game 6 is scheduled for 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 'All hands on deck situation': City of Calgary declares state of local emergency over water main break
The City of Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning in response to the latest developments in a major water main break that is impacting the city.
A new tax filing system could give Canadians more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Video shows northern Ont. storm hammer shoreline, breaking dock
The owner of a northern Ont. camp is continuing to clean up after an intense storm that prompted a tornado warning Thursday ripped through the area breaking his dock and downing trees.
U.K. royals unite on palace balcony as Princess of Wales returns to public view after cancer diagnosis
London put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ' first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Trudeau calls into question findings of stunning watchdog foreign interference report
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has concerns with how conclusions were gathered in a spy watchdog report.
93-year-old pleads guilty to careless driving after crash involving CTV Kitchener reporter
A 93-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to careless driving causing bodily harm in the crash that sent CTV News Kitchener reporter Stephanie Villella to hospital with life-threatening injuries last year.
Man who stabbed Mexican tourist in Vancouver Tim Hortons 2 years ago released from prison, police warn
Vancouver police are warning the public that the man who stabbed a stranger in a downtown coffee shop in January 2022 has been released and will be living in the city again.
Think cicadas are weird? Check out superfans, who eat the bugs, use them in art and even striptease
Mayumi Barrack sees a pair of mating periodical cicadas getting together, whips out her phone, says, 'Hi guys!' and takes their picture.
Abducted child found dead and sister injured in suspected human trafficking case, authorities say
36-year-old Daniel Callihan was arrested Thursday after a 35-year-old mother was found dead and her two abducted daughters were later discovered in Mississippi – one dead and the other alive – in what investigators say may be a human trafficking case.