The Canucks came into the Staples Center for a key battle against the Los Angeles Kings with both teams jockeying for playoff position in the NHL's tight Western Conference. Still smarting from a blowout loss at home to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets and having been owned by the Kings in recent years, things didn't look good early on as LA took a 1-0 lead 7 seconds into their first power play of the game. Usually a 1-0 lead is all the Stanley Cup Champions need to cement a win. Especially at home. Especially, especially against the Vancouver Canucks.
But not today.
No today, would be different. The Canucks came alive
and battled back to tie the game on a brilliant effort by Nick Bonino to chip it over Jonathan Quick's shoulder to tie the game at one. Being tied 1-1 on the road is usually a good thing, but you go the feeling the Canucks would need a lot more to get at least a point in LA. Even after Vrbata scored on a 5 on 3 power play to put the Canucks up 2-1, many of the Canucks fans who have seen this movie far too many times still didn't think they were home and cooled.
It would in fact take not one but two empty net goals late, one with the Canucks short-handed, to put ice the win for the Canucks and give them a crucial 2 points and just as importantly keep LA from getting any points.
This is, in my opinion, and I don't think I am exaggerating here, the Canucks single biggest win of the season. Its a 4 pointer against a team they are battling for playoff position with, a team that, if they make it in, they have a good chance of facing in the 1st round, they're the Stanley Cup Champs, and they have absolutely owned them the last 3 years,
A massive win indeed, but if they can't follow it up tomorrow with a win over the tanking Coyotes, then it will be a case of one step forward and one step back. A dance the Canucks can't afford to be doing this time of year.
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