With a demoralizing defeat in their own arena in Game 2, the Canucks were able to return the favor to the Blackhawks, silencing the home crowd in Chicago in Game 3 with a 3-1 victory, reclaiming the lead in the best of four series, 2-1. As great as a playoff win on the road is, the Canucks must step up their level of play for Game 4 tonight, having shown signs of weakness against the Hawks since the series began.
Game 3 showcased the defensive capabilites of the Canucks, many of the defenseman claiming it has been their best defensive effort yet, keeping the young and offensive Chicago team away from the net and controlling rebounds. Although the game did not go off without a hitch — recording two delay of game penalties for putting the puck over the glass — the Canucks were able to block a series-high 21 shots in front of captain Roberto Luongo, as well as kill 4 of 5 penalties.
Perhaps the most surprising fact is that they were able to accomplish this without the aid of star defenseman Sami Salo and offensive forward Pavol Demitra, both of whom are out with injuries sustained in Game 2. With the loss of two important players came the return of Taylor Pyatt and Ossi Vaananen, the former making his first appearance since early April when he took a personal leave. With the return of Pyatt, team morale was high, and his contribution to the team was undeniable, recording a team-leading four shots in the game.
All the pieces are in place for an outstanding road performance by the Canucks if they can continue the success they’ve found buoyed by the presence of Pyatt, and their reinvigorated defensive strategies. If they can win on the road once again, they will be set to win the series in their home arena, GM Place, on Saturday, May 9th.
The puck drops for Game 4 at 5:00 PM PST tonight (May 7th).