Gaudette says Canucks goalie coach taught him game-winning deke

You can now enter Adam Gaudette into the Vancouver Canucks villains Hall of Fame.

With the Canucks in the midst of pushing for a miracle run to make the playoffs, the former Canuck Gaudette scored the shootout winner in the fifth round on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena to give his Ottawa Senators a 4-3 win.

GAUDS FOR THE WIN‼️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/vwlI6n5lWe

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) April 20, 2022

Gaudette left the Canucks via a trade to Chicago back in April 2021, amid rumours teammates resented him for being “patient zero” in the team’s COVID-19 outbreak. Gaudette denied the rumours, calling them “bullshit” in an introductory press conference last year.

Chicago eventually waived Gaudette, who was claimed by Ottawa in November 2021.

“It was good to prove that I can be relied on in situations like that,” the 2015 Canucks 4th round pick Gaudette told reporters postgame. “That’s a spot I want to be in. I know I can do it.”

In his career, Gaudette had 21 goals and 31 assists in 153 games for the Canucks across parts of four seasons.

Gaudette didn’t play much on Tuesday: just 4:29 of ice time, a season-low for the 25-year-old. But it was the one play with his stick in the breakaway contest dealt a blow to Vancouver’s already dwindling playoff hopes.

“You’re just kind of looking down the bench to hopefully get the nod,” Gaudette added.

As for the deke itself? Gaudette offered credit to Canucks goalie coach Ian Clark.

“I’ve been working on that move a lot over the past two years,” Gaudette said. “It’s really getting comfortable for me, and I know I had that opportunity to just go under the glove there and place it perfectly. I’m glad it worked out.”

Gaudette had been in a scoring slump entering Tuesday, having no goals and just three assists in his last 28 games. But Gaudette felt confident entering the shootout, and well, he made his former team pay.

“One on one, I like my chances,” he said.

Playoff implications

Vancouver still picked up a crucial point on Tuesday night, but they’re still five points back of LA for third in the Pacific Division with just five games remaining.

They’re four points out of the second wild-card spot, though the Dallas Stars have a game in hand on Vancouver, who would also have to leapfrog the Vegas Golden Knights in the process.

MoneyPuck.com currently has the Canucks’ playoff odds at just 5.3 percent.

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