Perhaps the bigger surprise surrounding the start is how they've done it, or more to the point, what they've done it without. Free agent addition Loui Eriksson, who signed a six-year, $36 million contract July 1 after scoring 30 goals with the Boston Bruins, hasn't clicked on the top line with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin.
Eriksson hasn't scored a goal in part because of a top power-play unit that failed on its first 11 chances until scoring in the third period against the Sabres.
"I expected at the start [the key] would be good goaltending and to score on the power play," coach Willie Desjardins said. "That's kind of the way I foresaw the year."
The Sedins were expected to carry the offense, but with the exception of a brilliant two-minute shift that led to the tying goal against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, they have struggled 5-on-5 and been split up at times.
"They haven't seemed to get on a roll yet," Desjardins said. "Last year they carried us the first half. They carried us, and they are still a good line and they will find a way."
The biggest difference in the turnaround has come defensively. The Canucks credit improved structure, especially through the neutral zone, in a system tweaked by new assistant coach Doug Jarvis. Vancouver gave up 32.5 shots per game last season, second worst in the NHL, but were tied for third at 24.5 shots against before games Friday.
"We've been really harping on the defensive side, and it's all five guys," defenseman Ben Hutton said. "It's five up, five back. We've been working on the forwards tracking back hard and the defense picking up the right guys and talking to the forwards."
Simpler reads by younger players accounts for part of it, but Daniel Sedin said it's also a mindset to stick with the slightly altered system, because the overall focus has changed.
"This year it's not about developing players," Sedin said. "We are playing to win. Every situation is important. Putting guys out there in offensive faceoffs, defensive faceoffs, everything. There is a lot more coaching and it's about winning this year, it's not about maybe developing the young guys, like it was last season."
Whether that's enough to get back to the playoffs remains to be seen. Even after a perfect start, it won't be easy.
"We got a little bit of confidence out of it, but now we're going to have to play hard every night," Desjardins said. "Right now I just look at us as a team that has to battle every night to get a win."
