Day: January 18, 2022
Canucks Back To .500 On The Season With Big 3-1 Win Over Nashville
“So it’s a big game. It would be a great way to end the trip. We wouldn’t even remember the first three games. We’ll look forward to it on Tuesday.”, Canucks Coach Bruce Boudreau
It was indeed a big game –for both teams– as Canucks Coach Bruce Boudreau foretold on Sunday.
The Vancouver Canucks (18-18-3) went into Nashville (24-14-3), hoping to hand the Predators their fourth consecutive loss (0-3-1) while making it two straight wins to end their five game road trip.
For the Predators the game was the back end of back to back games, with the previous night being a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
For Vancouver, they came into the game after a 4-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon, after three consecutive losses to begin their five game road trip.
Canucks received goals from Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Juho Lammikko and big stops from goalie Thatcher Demko for a 3-1 win to finish up the road trip, handing the Predators their fourth straight loss.
Demko stopped 31 of 32 shots, 28 for 28 at even strength, for a .969 save percentage (SV%).
The opening period was a scoreless draw with Vancouver outshooting the Predators 9-7. Significant for the Canucks was goose egg on two power plays.
In the middle frame, the Predators opened up the scoring, on their second power play of the game on a goal by Philip Tomasino (6) at 2:51, assists to Alexandre Carrier (12) and Eeli Tolvanen (9). Less than five minutes later the Canucks evened the score at 1-1, on Elias Pettersson’s third goal in two games, his 9th of the season at 7:23, assists to Vasily Podkolzin (3) and Nils Hoglander (7).
Nashville outshot Vancouver 15-10 for a two period total of 22-19 for the Predators. Canucks 16 for 35 in faceoffs; Nashville 1 for 1 on the power play; Vancouver 0 for 2.
In the third, the Canucks took the lead for the first time at 2-1 on a goal by Brock Boeser (10) at 3:41 on the power play, assists to J.T. Miller (27) and Quinn Hughes (29).
The Canucks continued to play well, and Thatcher Demko came up with the occasional big save, before Vancouver increased their lead by two goals at 3-1 on a goal by Juho Lammikko (3) at 12:19, assist to Tyler Motte (4).
The Predators late in the period received their second power play in the game but were unsuccessful, and with just over three minutes left pulled their goaltender, David Rittich.
With 1:42 left and Tyler Motte skating in on the empty Predator net, Motte was slashed by Filip Forsberg. The game ended with Vancouver on the power play and no further goals, a 3-1 victory, second consecutive win, to reach .500 on the season again.
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