BY MARK SPECTOR
sportsnet.ca
VANCOUVER - The last time Jonathan Toews played a game as important as this one in Vancouver, he was wearing red and everyone here was cheering for him. Meanwhile, Ryan Kesler was wearing blue, as he will tonight, and he was the enemy.
Of course, the game was the gold medal final at the 2010 Olympic Games.
"I was on their side, for once," Toews said of Canucks fans who will be wishing him to continue his goalless drought in these playoffs for one more game.
Toews has just three assists in the series. He's actually only scored 1 goal in his last 13 games, and two in the past 18.
How does he break out in Game 7 tonight?
"Take a leap of faith, I guess. Take a chance and hope it works out. I think I've been trying to make it look too pretty when I get in on net," he said. "Tonight you've got to go out there with the feeling, thinking you're going to get lucky and hope that you do."
He and Hawks teammate Duncan Keith played in that game for Canada, in front of Team Canada goaltender Roberto Luongo. Patrick Kane played for Team USA.
"All the different circumstances - the pressure, the excitement, the buzz around this game, it all feels pretty similar," he said. "It's not often that it comes down to one game that you can win something big in the game of hockey. But this is what it is."
What did he learn from the experience?
"It comes down to little things. You can't have one bad shift. We'll have a lot of energy tonight, and be ready to really tighten up on some of our mistakes. But, you've got to let things happen, and at the end just believe that things are going to go your way."
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Salo out?
The Canadian Press is reporting Vancouver defenceman Sami Salo missed his club's morning skate. Coach Alain Vigneault says, "He's day-to-day," but offered no other details.
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No Knute Tonight
In the movies, games like this one always come with a Knute Rockne inspirational speech. From the coach, the captain, the owner…
In reality though, likely less is said before a game like tonight's Game 7, than any other night.
"There is enough nervous energy around here," said Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa, standing inside the Vancouver dressing room. "I can't speak on behalf of (Alain Vigneault), but I think we're going to keep things the same way, Games like this, you don't want to get too emotional, too riled up. Get running around, taking undisciplined penalties.
"I think it's up to everyone to say calm, stay in the moment, and enjoy it."
So, coach Vigneault. Can you let us in one what your final words will be to the team, before they hit the ice for Game 7 tonight?
"We have a good plan. Go out there and execute," Vigneault said.
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More, More, More
Can a team really ask for more from a player in Game 7, Michael Samuelsson was asked?
"How could they ask you for more? Obviously, we try to play our best game every night. Especially in the playoffs. You can't really ask for more," he said.
The theory is, if you haven't been giving everything you have already, you shouldn't be here. As such, this game should be treated - like the cliché says - just like any other game.
"Take it as normal as you can. Have your routines, go out there, trust your things. And battle like crazy," Samuelsson said. "Play the system. Everyone knows what the other guy is doing, when you do that."
Samuelsson's last Game 7 would have been in the 209 Stanley Cup final as a Detroit Red Wing. Detroit blew 2-0 and 3-2 leads in that series; stunned at Joe Louis Arena by the Penguins in Game 7.
"You're probably right. You don't want to play the Game 7," Samuelsson said of this latest do-or-die game. "But it could be fun too. That's how you've got to look at it, I think."
Who did he learn the most from, when it comes to a big game like this?
"If I'm going to mention one name, it's probably Steve Yzerman. Everything he said was pretty right on, in a sense of how you should act, how you should think."
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My Defence, Your Honour
Joel Quenneville on the rant against the officials by Canucks GM Mike Gillis on Monday: "We're the second least penalized team all year long. That's my defence."
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Old Hab for Lapierre
Game 7 is nothing new to Canucks center Maxim Lapierre, who won two such games with Montreal last spring against Washington and Pittsburgh.
"It's fun to be back with that feeling," he said Tuesday morning. "It's a big game. You dream of these types of games since you're young."
There are a lot of games in an NHL season. But a Game 7 game day is something all its own.
"It's always the same thing: everybody is a bit nervous and anxious for that game," said Lapierre. "When you focus on your game plan you'll be fine."
Mark Spector is the lead columnist for Sportsnet.ca
Follow him on Twitter.com @SportsnetSpec
