from Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet,
The Vancouver Canucks suddenly have everything going for them except time.
Their 5-2 road victory Sunday against the New York Rangers, which followed the Canucks’ 7-1 home win Thursday against the Calgary Flames, gives Vancouver a three-game winning streak for the first time since December.
At 26-22-6, the Canucks are four games over .500 for the first time in nearly two years, and their 69 per cent winning percentage since Bruce Boudreau became coach on Dec. 6 ties Vancouver (18-7-4 since then) with the mighty Toronto Maple Leafs (17-7-2) for the best record in Canada.
Goalie Thatcher Demko continues to play like a Vezina Trophy candidate, elite forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson are driving the attack, and even the Canucks’ wonky special teams look better.
It’s just too bad the team was 22 games into the National Hockey League season before it started playing like this.
The Canucks are racing the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks for a wildcard playoff spot in the Western Conference as much as they are racing time.
They have 28 games remaining, starting Monday against the New Jersey Devils.
Below see the wild card race in the West.
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