Before we get carried away with the Vancouver Canucks' start — and I don't care what anyone says, the parade has to go down Georgia — let's offer the usual caveats.
At a similar point in last season's schedule, the Canucks were 10-5-2 and, if memory serves, John Tortorella was getting some early run for coach-of-the-year. You may also remember the way 2012-13 ended. Tires. Fire. Shame. Everyone getting fired.
Just putting it out there. It could happen again.
And with that out of the way, let's get to the fun part.
With their 4-3 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators, the Canucks own the best record in the Western Conference and are tied for first overall with Tampa Bay. The Canucks. In first place. Take a picture. Put it on your fridge. Remember this day.
After all, it's been a while.
"When you've got a lot of new guys and new coaches, it's important," Henrik Sedin said of the Canucks' start, shortly after he took out an easel and painted the game-winner with his brother Daniel. "A lot of doubt would have crept into this dressing room if you come out and you're below .500. I think the guys trust each other and we trust the coaches. We have something to build on."
In running their record to 12-5 — and, as a point of reference, we'd point out they started the magical 2010-11 season 10-4-2 — the Canucks displayed all the elements of the game which have carried them to first place in the West.
There were four different goal scorers and three different lines contributed goals. The workload on the blueline was shared one through six, with fifth and sixth defencemen Ryan Stanton and Yannick Weber logging over 17 minutes of ice time each. That man Nick Bonino drew another primary assist and continues to provide a third source of scoring behind the twins.
But this night was just as significant for those things that weren't working in the Canucks' favour. The Canucks have been reliant on the stellar goaltending of Ryan Miller this season, but Miller was the second-best goalie on the ice and needed his teammates to pick him up. The Canucks were also missing four regulars from their lineup, which meant, for maybe the first time this season, head coach Willie Desjardins couldn't roll four lines.
Still, the effect was the same. The Canucks outshot the Sens 37-24 and, despite coughing up three one-goal leads (see Miller), they were full value for the win.
"I've always said winning breeds confidence and when you start winning, it gets contagious," said Kevin Bieksa, who scored his first goal of the season. "You find ways to win. You get used to winning. Anything else becomes unacceptable."
OK, the winning edge found in this one wasn't exactly new. With just under a minute left in overtime, Henrik came racing off the bench, took a pass from Dan Hamhuis, beat the Sens' Clark MacArthur then found his brother unmarked to Craig Anderson's left. With his skates on the goal line, Daniel snapped the game-winner past the Sens' goalie in a vintage piece of Sedinery.
"I still want them to shoot more, but that was pure magic," said Alex Burrows. "I saw it as soon as Hank jumped on the ice."
"(It started) the shift before that when they got the puck and started to cycle," said Bieksa. "You kind of sat back on the bench and said, 'Here we go. Sit back and enjoy.'
"(Sens star defenceman Erik) Karlsson came back to the bench and he was swearing in Swedish. I'm sure that had something to do with it."
Still, as much as they're one of the surprise stories of this NHL season, you look up and down the Canucks' lineup and it's hard to find anyone who's contributing anything out of the norm. Henrik is at a point a game and Daniel is just under it. Maybe you wouldn't expect seven goals and 14 points out of Bonino at this point, but he did score 26 goals in Anaheim last season. Miller's save percentage, .913, is actually a little under his career average. As for the rest of the Canucks, everyone is chipping in here and there but no one is setting the world on fire.
"We're not relying on one line or one or two defencemen, and that's a tough team to contain," said Bieksa.
"We're playing 20 guys and 20 guys feel they can have an impact on the ice in a winning way," said Burrows.
And that's what makes you think this might be real and sustainable.
Dare to dream, Canuck fan. Dare to dream.
ewilles@theprovince.com
twitter.com/WillesOnSports
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