Sports

Canucks’ Hughes pushing through hard Predators forecheck

April 29, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Quinn Hughes was having a rough night.

On one shift late in the first period Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks captain absorbed a couple of big hits within a 13-second span — one from former teammate Anthony Beauvillier and another from Jason Zucker and Colton Sissons, who sandwiched Hughes deep in the Vancouver zone. Hughes was in enough discomfort once he returned to the bench that he missed his next shift.

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Hughes is used to being targeted by opponents, but the fleet-footed defenceman is good at avoiding the brunt of the contact. That was not the case Sunday, when Hughes absorbed five hits through two periods of the Canucks’ 4-3 overtime win against the Nashville Predators.

The punishment had its intended effect.

“If I were the Predators, I would say run at him every time,” Canucks forward J.T. Miller said. “He’s not surprised. This is a learning experience for him. He’s learning how to play in the playoffs. (It’s a) different level. … It’s the same reason that we’re going after (Roman) Josi when we get a chance. They’re very important players in the game. You have to make it hard on them, or they’ll just eat you up.”

Hughes gutted through the pain in the third period, playing 11:06 as the Canucks pushed to tie the score. Although he did not record an assist on Brock Boeser’s game-tying goal with 6.2 seconds left in regulation, Hughes’ keep-in at the right point was critical. He sent Gustav Nyquist tumbling to the ice with a slick deke — the kind that separates him from his peers and likely will lead to him winning the Norris Trophy when it is awarded this summer.

“That’s a high-skill play,” Miller said. “I don’t know if you could tell live, but that puck was bouncing. To settle it and then make a move, (it kept) the play alive.”

Hughes had the puck on his stick more than any other player in the NHL during the regular season by a considerable margin, recording 266:36 of possession time (3:15 per game), according to Sportlogiq. But Canucks coach Rick Tocchet doesn’t want Hughes or the rest of the team to hold onto the puck too long against the Predators’ heavy forecheck.

“They’re running him, and that’s playoff hockey,” Tocchet said. “We’ve got to help him out in certain situations. He’s got to put himself in better positions. If we’re skating a little quicker and winning some more battles, they’re not going to have as many chances to hit, then that’ll help (Hughes).”

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