NHL Playoffs: 5 Changes the Vancouver Canucks Need to Make Heading into Game 2

So much for home-ice advantage.

On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals to steal home-ice advantage from the Canucks.

The President's Trophy-winning Canucks got out to an early lead on an Alex Burrows goal, but the Kings tied it up before the end of the first period when Mike Richards got his first of the postseason.

The teams traded goals late in the second period and went into the third, tied up at 2-2.

But it was the Kings who would prevail in the third, when Dustin Penner scored his first goal at 16:46 of the final frame to put the Kings up 3-2 with little time remaining. Dustin Brown added an empty-net goal late, as the Kings took Game 1.

If the Canucks want to have a better showing in front of their home crowd for Game 2 on Friday, here are five things that need to happen:

Get Daniel Sedin Back

One twin just isn't good enough.

Henrik Sedin didn't play at his best tonight without his twin brother by his side, so if the Canucks want to even up the series, they will need Henrik's brother Daniel back for Game 2.

Daniel has been sidelined since March 21 after taking an elbow to the head from Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith.

Sedin practiced with the team on Monday, practiced with the extras on Tuesday and didn't practice at all on game day. He was ruled out just hours before the game.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault didn't want to take a chance on putting Daniel in the lineup for Game 1, even though Henrik claimed Daniel was at 100-percent health.

After a subpar Game 1 performance by the Canucks, it's likely Vigneault will be changing his mind and putting Daniel in the lineup for Game 2 on Friday.

Take Fewer Penalties

If the Canucks want to win Game 2, they need to stay out of the penalty box.

The Canucks took six minor penalties and one major penalty in the first two periods. The Kings capitalized on two of those opportunities, and in a 4-2 game, those goals mattered. The Canucks took 27 penalty minutes to the Kings' 10.

The Canucks need to still play tough and hit the Kings, but they have to be smart.

There were two minors for shooting the puck over the glass, two for charging, one for unsportsmanlike conduct, one for hooking and the major for boarding.

The Canucks need to keep out of the sin bin for Game 2.

Capitalize on the Power Play

The Canucks didn't score a single power-play goal, compared to the Kings' two.

Vancouver went 0-of-5 with the man advantage, and in the playoffs, it's tough to win when you don't capitalize with the extra man.

If they want to have a better showing in Game 2, they need to bury their power-play chances.

Play Tougher

The Kings out-hit the Canucks 28-26, but it seemed like those 28 hits were a lot harder than the 26.

The Canucks were quite prone to diving and making it look like the Kings were a tougher team, in hopes that it would draw a penalty.

However, this plan was destined to fail, as it should have, and the Canucks just looked like the weaker team.

Mike Richards had the hit of the night when he caught Alex Burrows with his head down in the last minute of the game. Hits like this don't go unnoticed by either team.

If the Canucks want to take Game 2, they need to bring some toughness.

More Shots on Jonathan Quick

The Canucks were out-shot, 39-26.

If they hope to score on Vezina Trophy-candidate Jonathan Quick, they will need a lot more than that.

The Canucks did crash the Kings' crease a few times in the game, but that didn't rattle Quick, who finished the night with 24 saves.

If the Canucks want to even up the series on Friday night, they will need to pepper Quick with a lot more shots.

It should be a good series.

Follow Taylor Shire on Twitter @TaylorShire