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Canucks’ third line lights up Blackhawks in dominant road win

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Feb 14 2024, 4:06 am
Canucks’ third line lights up Blackhawks in dominant road win
Jamie Sabau/USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks haven’t had many players like Dakota Joshua in recent years.

In a game against the moribund Chicago Blackhawks, Joshua was once again a force, finishing the night with a Gordie Howe Hat Trick in a 4-2 Canucks victory.

While many might have seen Joshua as a promising fourth liner last year, his head coach, Rick Tocchet, clearly saw more in his game.

When asked by Daily Hive late last season about Joshua’s improved play, Tocchet dropped an eye-popping quote.

“There’s another level there,” Tocchet said. “He can score 20 goals.”

It seemed like a big proclamation at the time. Joshua barely crested the 10-goal mark in his first full season as an NHLer.

Now? It looks like Tocchet knew what he was talking about. Perhaps it’s because Joshua is the most likely Canuck to go out there and record a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

After tonight’s three-point performance from Joshua, the 6-foot-5 winger is on pace for exactly 20 goals and 35 points.

He’s also second overall in the NHL in hits, and flashed his physical abilities with a scrap late in the third period against the Blackhawks.

Conor Garland, who had himself a night with a two-goal performance, was incredibly complimentary of his linemate postgame. Joshua stepped in to fight MacKenzie Entwistle after the Blackhawks winger dumped Garland to the ice unexpectedly.

“I owe Dak a dinner tonight,” Garland told Sportsnet’s Kate Pettersson postgame. “That’s unbelievable right there. That shows how tight this team is, the character we have in our room to do that.”

Canucks fans should enjoy Joshua while he’s here. There aren’t many players in the NHL like him.

Plus, they might not be able to afford him next season. The 27-year-old is due for a hefty raise from his $825,000 cap hit.

That’s a problem for another day, as Joshua and the league-leading Canucks have their sights set on a Stanley Cup run.

A big reason why that’s the case? Because Joshua and Garland have formed one of the best third lines in the NHL.

Canucks’ smallest forwards have big impact

On a night where the Canucks heftiest forward was their best, his performance ironically was followed up by the two smallest forwards on the Canucks.

Garland and Nils Höglander have arguably been the two most consistent Canucks on this road trip, and they showed up again tonight against the Blackhawks.

Joshua and Garland had a beautiful give-and-go, leading to the Canucks first goal of the game.

Garland got his second of the night after a Filip Hronek point shot deflected off of him and into the net. Despite the fluky bounce, it’s hard not to argue that Garland deserved it. Again, he’s been one of the most consistent Canucks on this road trip.

Ditto for Höglander, who scored in his third consecutive game, a goal that stood as the game-winner.

The Canucks end their five-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record, and have a four-point lead atop the NHL standings.

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