Canucks: Curtis Lazar knows he has to sell out to improve penalty kills

tomtidgewellNovember 21, 2022

“The guys are starting to read each other a lot. When we get the chance to go, we all go together. — PK’s Canucks winger Curtis Lazar.

Hardening the pack and opposition is Curtis Lazar’s calling card at the Canucks. Photo by Bob Frid /USA TODAYSports

A streak of clean sheets in penalty kills is usually a footnote to the game story.

In Vancouver, they deserve headline material as they continue to plague and baffle the Canucks as they try to establish strong and consistent penalty kills.

They were ranked 31st with just a 65% success rate as they geared up for Monday’s matchup against the high-octane Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena.

And with the performance pendulum swinging wide, they finished 11th overall in the second half of the 2021-22 season with a staggering 80.5%, and just 57.6% in the first 12 games of the season. under.

A year ago, we hit a historic low of 60.3% that ushered in a change in coaching and management.

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The confusion to kill effectively has been layered for a long time.

Curtis Lazar was acquired in free agency in the offseason due to his PK presence in Boston last season. The speedy Ilya Mikheev arrived in a trade from Toronto to record her four short-handed goals in 2021-22.

Lazar, who returned on Friday after missing 10 games with a hand injury, said: “My reading at the beginning was terrible, even for myself.

“Sometimes we learn our lessons the hard way and advocate for 8-ball. We have people who do it, and we have more people who can do it. You can see if it is.”

Rasmus Darling of the Buffalo Sabers checks out Curtis Lazar of the Vancouver Canucks during an NHL game at Rogers Arena on October 22, 2022. Photo by Jeff Vinick /NHLI via Getty Images

Penalty killing is no fun. It’s about selling out, blocking shots, not losing confidence, and not playing too soon after giving up a power play goal.

With Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson and JT Miller and Mikheyev together, there’s an element to predicting passes, stripping pucks and creating oddman rushes. Horvat he has two quick goals and Lazar has hockey DNA that he can mess up and mess up.

“When a team looks good, we talk about predictable shots and what they’re willing to give up,” Lazar added. What can we limit them to, get rid of those second chances, and get a chance to reconfigure them?

“In the end, it comes down to pride in it, and people say enough is enough.

“This game thinks too fast to guess yourself about PKs. Once you put that away, you get motion. ”

Lazar should have a kill advantage based on what he learned in Boston last season.

While waiting for last season’s penalty kill pairing call, he watched, listened, and learned theory on the bench.

Part of re-establishing his gritty game with the Bruins was why Patrice Bergeron and Brad Martian were as dangerous as chasing the pack to help establish top 10 penalty kills. was to understand

“He’s probably the greatest defensive player of all time,” Lazar said of Bergeron. “It comes naturally to him and he never misses a play. He is patient and when he goes he is 100 percent.

“He’s so smart, it helps him stay in the showdown, and he’s probably only killed 1:30 instead of two minutes. And your best player, the reigning Selke Trophy, There are no excuses when you see yourself happily doing it every night.

“You have to get your job done.”

Vancouver Canucks' Curtis Lazar controls the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski in the third period at Nationwide Arena on October 18, 2022. — Vancouver Canucks’ Curtis Lazar controls the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski in the third period at Nationwide Arena on October 18, 2022. Photo by Emily Chin /Getty Images

Luke Shen leads the Canucks in 35:59 total minutes, averaging 2 minutes penalty per night. Veteran defense attorneys cite heart meetings that help chart a better course.

“It’s kind of like having a group discussion to set short-term goals,” Shen said. “You can’t be perfect every night, so split him into one or two games at a time.

“But we can do a better job and our staff are a little more proactive and get the job done.”

Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau pointed to his penalty shootout efforts in final trips in Boston and Toronto, where he could improve 4-6 against the Bruins and 1-2 against the Maple Leafs. pointed out.

“Hopefully they’re building a little more confidence,” he said. “Lazar can help. He has the energy, he sells out, he pays the price.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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