Predators Shut Out Canucks 3-0 – The Hockey Writers Nashville Predators Latest News, Analysis & More

The Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators squared off in a rematch of their first-round series from last year’s playoffs. With the Canucks emerging victorious in that series, the team was hoping to continue their success against the Predators as Vancouver is hanging on to the last playoff spot in the Western Conference by a thread. The Predators however may be looking for some revenge after last season’s loss and after their bad start this season, Nashville will be looking for any chance at accumulating points. Before the beginning of the game, the Canucks’ Elias Pettersson was put on injured reserve, goaltender Thatcher Demko was ruled out due to a back injury and Arturs Silovs was called up from Abbotsford.

Game Recap

Both teams struggled in the first period to create threatening offensive chances. The Canucks and Predators had trouble gaining the offensive zone and maintaining long periods of offensive pressure in the other team’s defensive zone. The best chances in the period came from J.T. Miller of the Canucks as he had a breakaway that was stopped and a nice dangle in the offensive zone that he wasn’t able to put in the back of the net. The Predators had a golden chance of their own with an empty net one-timer but missed the net wide. But with a lack of offence does come some rough play, the Canucks’ Dakota Joshua dropped the gloves with the Predators’ Michael McCarron due to a borderline hit that Joshua laid on Filip Forsberg. The two engaged in a scrap that saw McCarron land the best punches. After that fight, the offence continued to dry up and the period ended 0-0.

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At the start of the second period, the Canucks got on the board just 13 seconds into the frame but the play was waived off immediately for a goaltender interference call against Predators’ public enemy number one Dakota Joshua. Both teams tried their best to get the icebreaker but both Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen were on their game in the second period. Near the end of the period, the Predators got sprung on a rush play and Steven Stamkos scored a patented one-timer from the left side to give his team the opening goal of the game. The Canucks tried to find an equalizer at the end of the period but could not score and the period ended 1-0 Predators.

The third period saw most of what viewers saw in the first two periods. Struggles to create offence, neutral zone trap, and low-event hockey. The Canucks kept trying to create chances but kept getting stopped in the neutral zone or pushed back by the Predators’ defence once they entered the offensive zone. With time winding down, the Canucks were still down one goal with three minutes left and Rick Tocchet decided to pull Lankinen for an extra attacker. They were unable to create much offensive zone time and Gustav Nyquist scored into the empty net to give the Predators a 2-0 lead. Nashville added a second empty net goal to close out the game 3-0.

This was a crucial loss for the Canucks as they are clinging to the final wild card spot in the West and a big win for the Predators as they try to see if they can turn their season around.

The Canucks will now head out on a tough five-game eastern road trip that begins on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens while the Predators travel to Calgary to face the Flames tomorrow on Hockey Night in Canada.