Tocchet: Canucks need to 'go back to grade school' to improve defense

Rick Tocchet thinks it's time for his Vancouver Canucks to get a refresher on the defensive fundamentals in the wake of their 6-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night.

"It's my job (and) the (other) coaches' to make these guys understand stuff," Tocchet said postgame. "We're going to practice (Tuesday), and we're going to have to go back to grade school on how to defend (and) how to stop and start because too many guys are spinning. (This is a) very high-risk team ... some of (our) better players tonight, they were just too risky."

The Canucks outshot the Red Wings 30-23 and won 57% of the faceoffs. Vancouver also controlled the share of expected goals (51.2%) and scoring chances (51.11%) despite the lopsided defeat, according to Natural Stat Trick.

However, Monday's blowout was the 25th time the Canucks allowed five or more goals in a game this season. They've done it five times in the eight games Tocchet has coached since he replaced Bruce Boudreau on Jan. 22, including a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings on Saturday.

"You've got to take pride in defending, you've got to take pride in blocking a shot or getting the puck out in a stop-and-start game," Tocchet said. "You have to have pride."

Vancouver sits in sixth place in the Pacific Division at 21-29-4. The Canucks will host the New York Rangers on Wednesday and then the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

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