Fisher scores, Predators defeat Canucks in overtime

VANCOUVER --Mike Fisher scored in his season debut, and the Nashville Predators rallied twice to extend their season-long winning streak to seven with a 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Friday.
Calle Jarnkrok scored 43 seconds into overtime for the Predators (41-14-9), who matched their seven-game winning streak from Nov. 12-25, 2009. Their record is eight straight, from Oct. 5-25, 2005.

Nashville fell behind 2-0 for the second straight game before the 37-year-old Fisher batted in a loose puck from the top of the crease at 17:26 of the second period to make it 2-1.
WATCH: [All Predators vs. Canucks highlights]
"Get a bounce there and get one, it felt good," Fisher said. "I was trying to keep the shifts short but it was easy fitting in with the team the way they have been playing. It was fun."
Fisher signed a one-year contract Monday after announcing Jan. 31 he would come out of retirement. He began practicing with Nashville on Feb. 12, a little more than six months after he retired.
"They say sometimes rest is a weapon," Fisher said. "We'll see."
Kevin Fiala and Ryan Ellis also scored, and Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the Predators, who lead the Vegas Golden Knights by four points in the Western Conference and the Winnipeg Jets by six points in the Central Division.
"We have some great depth and a lot of guys that can step in and play and you saw that tonight," Fisher said.

Nashville sat out defensemen Roman Josi and Yannick Weber and forwards Craig Smith and Scott Hartnell after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 on Thursday.
"It wasn't necessarily resting, it's maintenance," said coach Peter Laviolette, adding that none are injured. "You are going to hear that word a lot from us down the stretch: maintenance."
Bo Horvat, Brandon Sutter and Daniel Sedin scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 39 saves for the Canucks (24-32-9), who have lost three straight, the past two in overtime. Vancouver is 19 points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
"They're deep through their lineup," Sutter said. "They have four lines that can score. Their D is probably the strongest D corps in the League. We stuck with them all night. It was a pretty solid effort for us."
Ellis tied it 3-3 with a point shot that deflected in with 2:15 left in the third period before Jarnkrok won it off the rush in overtime, taking a drop pass from Viktor Arvidsson, cutting right through the slot and beating Markstrom with an against-the-grain wrist shot over the blocker.

"I was just trying to build some speed and I got a good drop pass and everybody was kind of standing still, so it was nice to get it in," Jarnkrok said.
Fiala tied it 2-2 at 10:02 of the third with the teams skating 4-on-4, but Sedin scored on a power-play rebound at the side of the net to make it 3-2 at 11:54.
Horvat gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead on a power-play deflection 5:55 into the first period, and Sutter scored at 15:04 of the second period to make it 2-0.
"We'd rather play with a lead but if we get two points anyway, we're happy," Jarnkrok said.

Goal of the game

Jarnkrok's goal 43 seconds into overtime.

Save of the game

Saros' saves on Nikolay Goldobin at 12:50 and 12:51 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

Fisher's goal at 17:26 of the second period.

They said it

"Everyone is getting a boost from him. Everybody is excited Mike is back. He was such a big part of our team. Our team was doing well but to have him back, it strengthens the room, it strengthens our play on the ice. His game was good, is good, will get better from here, and to add him to the locker room and the group we have is a real positive influence." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette on center Mike Fisher
"It means a lot to be up there with him. He was a mentor for me. It was great for me to have him here my first year. How he played on the ice and how he acted off the ice too. I'm very grateful for that." -- Alexander Edler after his two assists moved him past fellow Swede Mattias Ohlund for the Canucks record for defensemen with 326 points

Need to know

Canucks forward Sven Baertschi left 1:30 into the second period holding his right arm after a collision with Predators defenseman Alexei Emelin. "It's going to be a while," coach Travis Green said. "We'll find out more tomorrow." … Arvidsson had two assists to extend his point streak to seven games (six goals, five assists). … Nashville has scored four or more goals in six of the past seven games, and the Canucks have allowed four of more goals in eight of their past 12 games. … Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton played his 200th NHL game.

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What's next

Predators: At the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; SN, ALT, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Canucks: Host the New York Islanders on Monday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, MSG+, NHL.TV)