Strong Second Locks In Canucks 3-2 Win Over Predators

The Canucks never trailed in Nashville against the Predators. They end their five-game road trip on a high note with a victory and 3-2 road record.

Vancouver came out strong in the first two periods, and the Preds dug their claws in, making a push in the last five minutes, but the Canucks held them off down the stretch. 

Elias Pettersson was pleased with the win, but he’s not satisfied and knows there’s more they can build on.

“It feels great. I think overall it’s a good road trip for us. We’re fine-tuning now but I think we still have more in us. We still can be better in our details and everything and I can work on my goal scoring,” Pettersson said.

While Vancouver got on the scoreboard first, their second period was their best in the face-off circle and shots on goal. 

Ilya Mikheyev scored his first goal in his second game back with a wrist shot right down the middle. Mikheyev saw 15:04 minutes of ice time for Vancouver.

The Canucks and Predators drew even on shots on goal in the first period with six apiece. Vancouver was just 3-for-16 in the face-off circle in the first, but in the second period were 68% going 13-for-19.

Phil Di Giuseppe gave Vancouver the go-ahead goal in the second period after the puck bounced through the neutral zone, and Boeser took a swipe at it directing it to Di Giuseppe who put it into the back of the net. Di Giuseppe tallied his second point in as many games and says they came up big by not backing down.

“To be able to gut it out and hold the lead there is a testament to the team,” Di Giuseppe said.

Nils Hoglander got in the scoring action in the middle frame, tipping one in off a long shot by Quinn Hughes from the left side, putting the Canucks up 3-1.

Nashville drew penalties late in the third with opportunities to tie the game and send it to overtime, but the Canucks penalty kill held down the fort. Thatcher Demko, who stopped 15-of-17 shots says certain aspects of the pk have continued to improve since the start of the season.

“Less seams is a big one. A lot of the plays are either shots from the flank or the low jams which are my responsibility, so I’m proud of that unit. I think that we started the year off against the best power play of all time for two games and thought we came away from that pretty happy and just continue to build on it. It’s going to be an important part of our game here if we want to make the playoffs,” Demko said.

The Canucks return to Vancouver to face the St. Louis Blues Friday, October 27th at 7 p.m.