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VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks are about where Willie Desjardins expected them to be 40 games into his first season as an NHL head coach.How they got to this point is another matter entirely.We started quicker than I thought we would — but then weve had some tough games lately, Desjardins said after Mondays practice at Rogers Arena. I think were probably where I thought, but I thought it would kind of be reversed. I thought wed go out a little bit slower and then be trending upwards. Now weve kind of flattened off again.The Canucks briefly led the NHL standings with a 16-6-1 mark back in late November, but are just 7-8-2 since, including back-to-back losses to the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames that closed out a disappointing 2-3-0 homestand.Vancouver (23-14-3) sat second in the Pacific Division heading into Mondays action, but were just two points up on Calgary for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, albeit with three games in hand.I think we realize how close it is to miss the playoffs, said Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa. Weve done a good job of staying in moment and taking care of the points, especially in the middle half, the dog days of the season.We make sure were up for these games because we know how important the points are.The Canucks will have to be up for Tuesdays opener of a five-game road trip against the league-leading Nashville Predators, who have just three losses on home ice this season.Weve got real tough games, said Desjardins. Its going to be a battle. Every points going to be a battle (but) hopefully teams are saying the same things about us.Speaking of battle, Desjardins was asked Monday before the Canucks left for Nashville what he wants more of in the second half of the season, and that was what came to mind for a team that didnt get a single power play against in the loss to Calgary.If youre battling hard then other teams get frustrated (and) when they get frustrated they take penalties, he said. Were pushing them, but were not pushing them to the point where they get frustrated and (are) taking penalties on us. We have to get to that point.The good news for the Canucks as they prepared to meet the Predators is that Vancouver has played much better away from home this season, sporting a 12-6-2 mark with victories in Pittsburgh, Washington and St. Louis.Desjardins was at a loss to explain discrepancy with the Canucks 11-8-1 home record, but offered a few ideas.Maybe its a factor that the guys are a little more focused (on the road), he said. Maybe they think on the road its going to be a real tough game and so they are really prepared, and maybe we relax a little bit at home, I dont know. Theres a couple games at home that it wouldnt have taken much (more effort) to get wins.You always wish you had a little bit more in those games.Canucks captain Henrik Sedin couldnt explain the road success either, adding the team tries to approach each game the same.I think we try to keep it simple, he said. Its not a big difference that way. I dont know why our home record isnt as good as on the road. Weve gone into some tough buildings and weve shown before this year that we can win in those buildings.Lack of scoring was a consistent theme last season when Vancouver missed the playoffs for the first time in six years. The Canucks scored just once in the losses to Florida (3-1) and Calgary (1-0) despite directing a combined 69 shots on target — they had 77 shots attempts against the Flames — but Desjardins suggested more can be done to make life difficult on the opposition.Weve got to be harder, he said. Overall we do need more. I dont think were creating as much as we need to. We have to get better and we have to create more.Sedin agreed the Canucks have to do a better job getting to the dirty areas of the ice on a road trip that will also take them to Philadelphia, Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay.Were not driving to the net, he said. Were not getting people there, and thats usually when (referees) are calling the penalties — when they take away a scoring chance. Its something we keep talking about, but weve got to do it in games.Teams across the league are in an almost constant search for consistency and the Canucks are no different as they approach the midway point of this campaign.But Sedin said if someone had told him back in training camp that Vancouver would have 49 points through 40 games, he would have taken it.I think if you ask anyone, its a good spot to be in for us, he said. Weve got a lot of games in hand on a lot of different teams. But we know we need to win games. Its going to be tough all the way down to the final game, but its a great spot to be in. Its fun to be a part of.Were happy, but were not satisfied.Notes: Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis (torn groin), who has been out since getting hurt on Nov. 20, continues to practice with his teammates and hopes to play at some point on the road trip. ... Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller missed Saturdays game against Calgary with an illness, but said he expects to play Tuesday in Nashville if called upon.___Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter Discount Vans Shoes Online . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. 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