The Vancouver Canucks were unable to pull off another surprise comeback victory Tuesday evening, losing 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the playoff series.
For a brief moment, it looked like the game was about to head into overtime when the Canucks’ Brock Boeser scored with just two minutes left on the clock.
But in the game’s final minute, Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard managed to get the puck in the Canucks’ net. Vancouver pulled their goalie shortly after but were unable to tie the game.
The Oilers’ win brings the series to a 2-2 tie. Game 5 will take place Thursday night at Rogers Arena.
Numerous public viewing opportunities were available throughout the Lower Mainland for fans who wanted a crowd experience for the matchup.
Tuesday’s contest looked a little bit different than the three prior games.
Edmonton started backup goalie Calvin Pickard as they sought to reset after going down 2-1 in the series.
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Oilers starting goalie Stuart Skinner had given up 12 goals on just 58 shots so far.
On the flip side, Vancouver was without Carson Soucy after the 6-foot-5 defenceman was assessed a one-game suspension for cross-checking Oilers superstar Connor McDavid during a scrum following the final whistle in Sunday’s game.
The incident has dominated social media chatter and was expected to be a physical spark to what was already shaping up to be an intense matchup.
As to the potential for lingering bad blood from the incident — which saw Soucy suspended and defenceman Nikita Zadorov fined, but no supplemental discipline for a slash by McDavid or another cross-check by Edmonton’s Zach Hyman — Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said, “It’s over” prior to Tuesday’s matchup.
“I think Connor said it. It’s tough hockey, he loves these types of games, we say the same thing,” Tocchet said.
Despite that, the coach stressed the need to stay disciplined and to focus on the task at hand before Tuesday’s game.
“This is a game we’ve got to win,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if we are three down or three up. You have to think that way in the playoffs.”
Quizzed about the incident and the league’s response on Tuesday, Zadorov quipped, “Unfortunately, that’s the world we’re living in.”
“Sometimes social media and public … can create some hard decisions for specific people, and they might make questionable decisions at the end of the day,” he said.
“At the end of the day, they have to protect their investment, so that’s my understanding.”
Tocchet confirmed Noah Juulsen would take Soucy’s place.
“Great shot blocker, physical, even five-on-five he’s one of our best hitters, so that’s another element he’s going to bring into our lineup,” Tocchet said of Juulsen.
Tocchet said the team has worked with mixing up defensive pairs throughout the season to prepare for situations like this, and were prepared to defend by “committee” to limit opportunities for Edmonton stars McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Defenceman Tyler Myers, who typically pairs with Soucy, acknowledged the one-game loss would be a “big one,” but said Vancouver would stick to its system and bring the same level of intensity it has every game so far.
“We know they are going to play their most desperate game of the series and we have to do the same,” he said.
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