3 Keys: Canucks at Predators, Game 3 of Western 1st Round
Vancouver wants to get power play going; Nashville looks to feed off energy of home crowd
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NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators are looking forward to a "Broadway buzz" when they host the Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Friday.
"We want to use the home crowd to our advantage," Predators forward Kiefer Sherwood said. "We want to come out guns blazing from that puck drop, and just have a Broadway buzz. We know our fans have been looking forward to this for a long time. We know how they can get. [The Canucks] used it to their advantage [in Games 1 and 2]. Now it's time for us to use it to our advantage."
Nashville, which went 9-1-2 in its final 12 regular-season home games this seaosn, will try to keep that trend going in a bid to take the series lead.
"I think it's going to be electric," Predators coach Andrew Brunette said of the atmosphere at home. "They've really helped carry us through some stretches and games late in the season that got us into this slot. It's a fun building to play in."
It might not be as fun for the Canucks, but defenseman Nikita Zadorov is relishing the villain role.
"It's cool when everybody hates you when you're on the ice and they're booing you and against you," he said. "That probably gets me going even more playing on the road than at home."
When a best-of-7 series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series nearly two-thirds of the time (234-120; 65.9 percent).
Here are 3 keys for Game 3:
1. Predators 'committed to the pain'
Brunette has talked about his players being "committed to the pain" that comes from blocking shots. Nashville has blocked 44 shots through the first two games, including 30 in their 4-1 win in Game 2 on Tuesday.
"Obviously we know blocking shots is a big part of winning games in the playoffs and we've been relentless all year," said defenseman Jeremy Lauzon, who is tied for second on the Predators with six blocks. "We did a great job last game doing it. So I think we just need to keep on the same path."
Lauzon said Nashville is drawing as much from a big block as it is from a big goal.
"I think it does create a lot of energy for us," he said. "When you see your teammate, your brother, put their body on the line for the team, it's just so selfless that it brings so much energy for the rest of the team."
2. Canucks looking for more on power play
Through two games, Vancouver is 0-for-6 with five shots on goal on the man-advantage.
Coach Rick Tocchet has impressed on his players to have more of a shot-first mentality, and after spending a large portion of practice Thursday on the power play, that approach appears to have gotten through.
"I think we can't pass up any shots," Canucks center J.T. Miller said. "Not a shoot-everything mentality, but also let's not defer the shot when it's there. And I think that's going to be the mindset."
Defenseman Quinn Hughes said the struggles are solely on his team, and has nothing to do with changes the Predators have made on the penalty kill. He pointed to a few chances in Game 2, including one by center Elias Pettersson in the final seconds of the first period, when he had an open net on the right side with goalie Juuse Saros out of position and missed to the outside.
"We have a lot of confidence in ourselves as a group and we had our looks last game," Hughes said. "I think that throughout the course of this series, if we get looks like that, we'll score."
3. Fast start the key
Vancouver scored an NHL-high 96 first-period goals during the regular season but has been held off the score sheet in the first period through Games 1 and 2. Tocchet said it's about getting his team to raise its tempo in all areas of the ice.
"I think just establish our game," he said. "I think we can play a little faster, more north. That's usually a good recipe for playing good road hockey. You start regrouping too much, taking the puck back, you can get in trouble, especially in a loud building. ... I think for us playing faster and taking zones quicker is something that we've got to do a little bit better."
Nashville wants to use the energy of the crowd to get it going in the first, while also making sure to remain focused on the game plan.
"I'm looking for what we usually break and it's trying to get your identity right away," Brunette said. "Understand home ice, not to get too excited, keep emotions in check and be us, and that's going to be really important. We did a great job on the road in both periods, both starts, and it's going to be important tonight."
Canucks projected lineup
Pius Suter -- J.T. Miller -- Brock Boeser
Nils Hoglander -- Elias Pettersson -- Conor Garland
Dakota Joshua -- Elias Lindholm -- Ilya Mikheyev
Phillip Di Giuseppe -- Teddy Blueger -- Sam Lafferty
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Carson Soucy -- Tyler Myers
Ian Cole -- Nikita Zadorov
Casey DeSmith
Arturs Silovs
Scratched: Mark Friedman, Nils Aman, Noah Juulsen, Vasily Podkolzin, Nikita Tolopilo
Injured: Thatcher Demko (undisclosed)
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Gustav Nyquist
Anthony Beauvillier -- Colton Sissons -- Jason Zucker
Mark Jankowski -- Tommy Novak -- Luke Evangelista
Cole Smith -- Michael McCarron -- Kiefer Sherwood
Ryan McDonagh -- Roman Josi
Jeremy Lauzon -- Alexandre Carrier
Spencer Stastney -- Luke Schenn
Juuse Saros
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Tyson Barrie, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Cody Glass, Dante Fabbro, Gustavs Grigals, Juuso Parssinen
Injured: None
Status report
The Canucks held an optional morning skate. Boeser, who left practice early Thursday after appearing to get hit in the left hand with a puck, was one of 13 players taking part. ... Myers missed Game 2 because of the flu but is expected to play.… Parssinen was recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Thursday but is not expected to play. ... Forsberg did not participate in the morning skate but is expected to play.
NHL.com independent correspondent Robby Stanley contributed to this report
