In the teams’ first meeting since the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Nashville Predators earned a critical 5-3 road victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday at Rogers Arena.
Zachary L’Heureux scored his first NHL goal in his 14th game, and Steven Stamkos scored on both of Nashville’s power play chances during an explosive second period for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 24 saves in goal, while former Predators goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 16 shots.
The win is the first of their five-game road trip for the Predators, giving them a 1-1-2 record through the first four games and a 6-10-3 record for the season.
How the Predators lined up against Vancouver
Forsberg-O’Reilly-Nyquist
Stamkos – Sissons – Evangelist
Pärssinen – Novak* – Marchessault
The Happy – McCarron – Smith
Josi – Skjei
Lauzon – Carrier
Del Gaizo – Schenn
Saros
Corner wood
Supplements: Wilsby, Jankowski, Tomasino
*Tommy Novak, who missed the last five games, returned to the Predators lineup for the first time since his injury on November 4.
Game Summary
After failing to find the back of the net Friday against the Calgary Flames, the Predators got on the board first in Vancouver when L’Heureux took a pass from Cole Smith and caught Lankinen out of position to score into an open net and gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 5:28 of the first period.
The Canucks tied it six minutes later on a shot from Aatu Raty, who got part of a shot from Erik Brannstrom. The 1-1 tie lasted until the first intermission and midway through the second period, until the Canucks scored on their first power play opportunity to take a 2-1 lead. With Colton Sissons in the box for roughing Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson hammered in a one-timer from the right faceoff circle to beat Saros and break the tie.
Vancouver’s lead didn’t last long, however, as the Predators capitalized on their own chance on the power play at 12:17 of the second period. With Nils Hoglander serving a delay of game penalty, Stamkos fired a wrist shot from the high slot past Lankinen to tie the score at 2-2.
Two minutes later, Roman Josi gave the Predators a 3-2 lead with a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. In the final minute of the second period, Stamkos scored his second goal of the night on the power play to extend Nashville’s lead to 4-2 heading into the second intermission.
The Canucks piled on the pressure in the third period, dictating the pace in the Nashville zone and keeping the Predators without a shot on goal until the final two minutes of the frame. The sustained effort paid off at 14:00 of the period, when former Predators forward Kiefer Sherwood fired a quick shot from the high slot to make it a one-goal game and give Vancouver life until at the end.
The Predators’ strong team defense allowed them to maintain their one-goal lead until Gustav Nyquist scored into the empty net for the final 5-3.
Key takeaways
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Predators forward Juuso Pärssinen played his 100th career NHL game.
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Josi had a goal and an assist in the second period to give him six points in his last six games and 700 points for his career.
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Stamkos scored power play goal No. 218, passing Jaromir Jagr and Mike Gartner for 11th all-time in NHL history.
Following
The Predators will finish their five-game road trip on Wednesday with a visit to the Seattle Kraken. Puck drop will take place at 9 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast nationally on TNT in the United States.
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