Two years ago, Brock Boeser stepped into the lineup as a rookie and immediately became the Canucks鈥� best weapon on the power play.
He used his fantastic shot 鈥� and some savvy setups from the Sedins 鈥� to rack up 10 power play goals in his rookie season.
Last season, it was Elias Pettersson鈥檚 turn, lighting up the NHL with his devastating one-timer from the top of the right faceoff circle. He scored 10 power play goals to lead the Canucks in his rookie year.
Heading into the 2019-20 season, Canucks fans were excited to see what Boeser and Pettersson could do with the addition of rookie defenceman Quinn Hughes passing them the puck from the point. Add in an experienced playmaker with the man advantage in J.T. Miller and it was easy to anticipate what would happen: the two fantastic finishers at the faceoff circles would drive home goal after goal.
Instead, the player leading the Canucks in power play goals is a little more surprising: Bo Horvat.
The Canucks鈥� captain has 11 power play goals through 65 games, breaking his career high of 10 from two seasons ago. Perhaps it shouldn鈥檛 be surprising at all: Horvat鈥檚 10 power play goals two seasons ago tied Boeser for the team lead.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 surprise me,鈥� said head coach Travis Green. 鈥淗e's playing that bumper spot, there's a lot of loose pucks, he's a big strong guy, he's got good hands.鈥�
Horvat鈥檚 role on the power play is either in the bumper in the high slot or down low in front of the net, screening the goaltender. It frequently involves a lot of battles with defencemen and other penalty killers for position.
鈥淚t's funny, it's not the most popular position, but it's where you score,鈥� said J.T. Miller. 鈥淗e's always around the net, rebounds, he's got a hell of a wrist shot, good release.鈥�
The Canucks have scored 11 goals on 31 power play opportunities in their last 11 games, an impressive 35.5 per cent success rate. Four of those 11 goals have come off the stick of Horvat. A change in formation has helped the Canucks move the puck a little more crisply and it鈥檚 given Horvat more opportunities.
鈥淲e changed positions a little bit,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淚'm on the wall instead of the goal line now. I think it changes the dynamic of the power play a little bit, we have a bunch of lefties ready to shoot with a righty at the goal line and we've been having success with that.鈥�
As a lefty in the middle of the ice, Horvat is ready and available for quick one-timers from passes from Miller, who has been very effective on the left side of the ice.
鈥淚t's easier for a setup guy when he always does the little loop and always comes down with speed,鈥� said Pettersson. 鈥淲e've been talking to the [penalty killers] and they say that's hard to defend.鈥�
Horvat has also had success finishing plays from the left side. As penalty kills cheat towards Pettersson to take away his one-timer, that has opened up space in the middle.
鈥淲e're just trying to take advantage of that, if they put the guy on me, that means another guy is gonna be open,鈥� said Pettersson. 鈥淭hey're gonna flex out to me, which means a hole in the middle is going to open up or somewhere else.鈥�
Those holes opening up don鈥檛 mean anything if you don鈥檛 have a player that can take advantage of them and that鈥檚 where Horvat has excelled.
鈥淚 have really good players feeding me the puck,鈥� said Horvat. 鈥淚t's just trying to hit those holes, trying to hit those seams to get open.鈥�
While Horvat was humble in his assessment of the power play, crediting his teammates more than anyone else, Miller made it clear that Horvat has been key to their success.
鈥淟ook at some of the best power players in the league and you know, some of their most important guys are playing in the middle,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淗e's got a nose for the net, strong on his stick: you need a guy like that in the middle.鈥�
Stick-taps and Glove-drops
- Tap of the stick to Vasili Podkolzin, who scored his first KHL playoff goal this week. After a strong finish to the regular season, Podkolzin has two points in two playoff games so far.
- I鈥檓 dropping the gloves with Colin Campbell, the Director of Hockey Operations for the NHL. He joked, 鈥淚 called Don Waddell in the second intermission and said, 鈥楥an鈥檛 one of those two guys please come back?鈥欌�� regarding the Carolina Hurricanes鈥� recent emergency goaltender situation. Given how the NHL has been so blas茅 about concussions, joking about forcing a concussed goaltender back into action is in poor taste, if nothing else.
Big Numbers
- 73聽 Heading into Wednesday鈥檚 game against the Arizona Coyotes, the Canucks鈥� chances of making the playoffs were 73 per cent according to HockeyViz.com. That may sound underwhelming, but it鈥檚 the sixth-highest odds in the Western Conference.
- 21聽 Horvat may lead the Canucks in power play goals, but rookie Quinn Hughes leads the way in power play assists with 21, good for sixth in the NHL.
