Nashville Predators defeat Vancouver Canucks 3-1
Martin Erat scored a goal and had an assist, as the Nashville Predators used a three-goal burst in the second period to take down the Vancouver Canucks 3-1, at the Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night.
Nick Spaling and Mike Fisher both also lit the lamp for Nashville, who have won three of their last four games. Pekka Rinne made 35 saves for Nashville, who kept alive their hopes of a top-four spot in a tight Western Conference contest race.
Predators defenseman Shane O'Brien praised his side's goaltender after the game. He said, "We lean on Rinne quite a bit and he has been great. He's been our best player all year."
Daniel Sedin supplied the lone offence for Vancouver, who have lost three of their last five contests. Roberto Luongo turned away 23 shots in the losing effort.
Canucks Head Coach Alain Vigneault told reporters that his side were unfortunate to lose the game. He said "I liked the quality of our chances tonight. I don't think we gave them that many chances. Unfortunately, we lost the game."
After a goalless session and a half, both teams combined to score all four goals in a five minute span late in the second period. The hosts got the scoring started to take a 1-0 lead with almost six minutes left in the middle frame. Erat fired a wrist shot
from the slot to the net, which was saved by Luongo but the rebound popped out in front. Erat grabbed it and chipped a backhander over the goalie.
Vancouver then got on the board to tie the game at 1-1 on a power-play with less than two minutes to play in the same period. The goal came when the Canucks got a 'too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty' and Henrik Sedin sent a backhand pass to his brother Daniel,
who ripped a wrist shot past Rinne from the right circle.
However, the deadlock remained for only seven seconds. The Predators then restored their lead at 2-1, when they won a faceoff into the offensive zone, as defenseman Aaron Rome lost his balance at the blue line and fell down. That created a 2-on-1 rush which
Spaling finished off with a backhanded shot from the right of the crease.
The Predators capped the scoring at 3-1 just 49 seconds later, when Fisher redirected Alexander Sulzer's shot into the net from just inside the left point.
Canucks forward Ryan Kesler praised the opponents after the game. He said, “Their goalie played well. He won them the game. They got a couple of lucky bounces there that obviously when you tie the game and then give up two goals in 50 seconds you’re not
going to come back against a team like that.”
Tags: