Vancouver Canucks beat Nashville Predators 4-3 in shootout - NHL Update
The Vancouver Canucks once more gave a show of their confidence and mental strength with another close 4-3 shootout victory this time over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at the Bridgestone Arena.
The Canucks whose past five games have all ended in shootouts or overtime have become specialists after the regulation period and now have won five of their past six games.
"We're obviously not a team that gives up, and we expected a close game with these guys," Canucks center Ryan Kesler said. "We've been in a lot of overtime games and shootout games lately, so we're accustomed to this now. And we're getting on the right end
of these so we're doing something right."
Nashville who had been going strong over the past few games were unlucky not to have emerged victorious after a brilliant two goal second period brought the scores level.
The Predators outshot the Canucks 40-31 and goaltender Pekka Rinne saved 28 shots but this time they had met their match.
Vancouver goaltender, Roberto Luongo, stopped the Predators 37 times to force overtime and the Canucks better practiced for the shootout stage were always going to be favourites for the win once regulation time was over.
"We were down 3-1 against Vancouver and came back and I think we were the better team over 60 minutes," Predators forward Patric Hornqvist said. "But they came out a little better than us in the shootout."
The win keeps the Canucks just a single point behind Western Conference leaders Detroit Red Wings with a 33-15-5 record and 71 points.
Nashville on the other hand drop to fifth in the Western Conference after the loss with a 32-17-5 record and 69 points yet still remain in the hunt to secure the top spot.
Vancouver opened the scoring in a mesmerising first period of the game. The Canucks went ahead through Captain Ryan Kesler’s power play goal at 11:42.
It took the Predators just two minutes to get level with Colin Wilson equalising the scores at 1-1.
Nashville would outshoot the Canucks 16-11 in the period but Roberto Luongo’s brilliant saves kept the scores level.
Vancouver took the lead back at 18:21 as Byron Bitz scored his first goal of the season after being setup by Henrik Sedin.
23-seconds later Bitz turned provider as his pass was wonderfully controlled and shot past goaltender Pekka Rinne by Daniel Sedin to put the Canucks 3-1 up.
It seemed to become a rout in the second period as the Canucks were looking dangerous on every break. The Predators though kept their composure and clawed their way back into the game.
Sergei Kostitsyn made it 3-2 at 4:14 in the second period and a minute later Mike Fisher got the game level again with a good finish to beat Luongo as the Predators outshot the Canucks 12-6.
No team could take the lead in the third period and the game went to overtime. The scores remained level and a shootout was on the cards.
The Canucks had entered their comfort zone and looked at home in the shootout. Alexandre Burrows and Alexander Edler beat Pekka Rinne to win the shootout for Vancouver and secure another close victory.
The Canucks will now travel to Minnesota to face the Wild on Thursday, February 9th while the Nashville Predators will face Ottawa Senators.
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