The Canucks depth may be too much for the Blackhawks to handle.
VANCOUVER — When Jannik Hansen and Chris Higgins scored the only goals in the Vancouver Canucks 2-0 victory in Game 1, the story was how the Canucks depth had now surpassed that of the depleted Blackhawks.
But when Daniel Sedin walked down Main St. to whistle his second of the night past Chicago netminder Corey Crawford in Game 2, the Canucks had officially covered off the top half of the Blackhawks lineup.
While Sedin was scoring twice in a 4-3 win Friday night, and No. 1 D-man Alex Edler was adding another, Chicago got two goals from Ben Smith and one off the stick of former Toronto Maple Leaf Viktor Stalberg.
Jonathan Toews? Marian Hossa? The Patricks, Sharp and Kane?
What might you require from that skilled group of forwards, Joel Quenneville?
"Well, production would be what you’re looking for," deadpanned the Blackhawks head coach. "Our PP really slowed us down in the game tonight."
The slump that grips Toews these days is squeezing tighter than one of those Boa Constrictors on A&E Network.
It’s killing the defending Cup champs, because he is their best player, and you can’t limit the ice time of your best player at this time of year — no matter how he’s playing. And it’s threatening to crush the spirit of one of the game’s great young leaders who suddenly — inexplicably — finds himself unable to lead.
"Are you frustrated?" Toews was asked, after a night in which he played 22:04 and did not generate a single shot on Roberto Luongo.
"No. I’m not going to get frustrated," he said, talking to his own psyche as much as to the media scrum. "You’re working as hard as you can, and pucks are bouncing over your stick. Guys are blocking your shots. You’ve got to find a way.
"There’s no frustration," he repeated. "I can’t get in that mental category where I feel it’s not going my way. That it’s not going in."
The question remains whether Toews’ slump — he’s scored just once in his last nine games now — is owing to his own ill-timed drop in play? Or has the responsibility shifted to a Canucks team that allowed the least goals in the National Hockey League this season?
Much has changed since these two teams last met in a playoff series, and all the change did not happen during the Blackhawks fire sale last summer. Vancouver, too, made some maneuvers, a couple of sly pick-ups, and now plays a more confident game than we’ve ever seen them play.
"We hope so," said Henrik Sedin, who strangely had just one assist on Daniel’s three-point night. "In the past we would have sat back and hoped we got the win. This time we kept coming. But we’re not here to win one or two games, we’re here to move on."
So much has changed on both sides of this playoff rivalry.
Now, when Chicago declares it’s time to crash the net and make life more difficult for Luongo, they must send bodies belonging to the likes of Fernando Pisani, Smith and Michael Frolik. No more Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien or Ben Eager, a trio that creates considerably more shade than the current group.
And now, when Chicago cuts a two-goal lead in half on three occasions, as they did in Game 2, the Canucks find a way to restore it. Or, at least, hang on through the final 7:10 to preserve the win.
"I think that’s maybe where we’re a bit more mature this year than in the past," said Luongo. "They cut it to 2-1 and we’re back on our heels, but each time they scored we responded right away."
Now it becomes Chicago’s turn to respond. Game 3 is simply a must-have — they’re all out of wiggle room on Madison Ave.
How desperate are these times for Chicago?
"Very desperate," Toews said. "But what are you going to do? We’re going home, we’ve got to find a way to rejuvenate ourselves, get our crowd into it. We’ve gotta go. We’ve gotta find a way back into this."
The more pertinent question might be, do these Hawks have more to give?
"There has to be," said defenceman Duncan Keith, who played eight seconds more in Game 2 (27:38) than he had in Game 1. "It’s not enough. Nothing is ever good enough, until you win."
Mark Spector is the lead columnist for Sportsnet.ca
Follow me on Twitter.com @SportsnetSpec
