Luke Evangelista scored his first career postseason goal and the home team outshot the visitors, 30-12, but the Nashville Predators ultimately dropped Game 3 to the Vancouver Canucks by a 2-1 decision at Bridgestone Arena on Friday.
“I thought it was a good effort,” Predators Captain Roman Josi said. “We played a pretty good game and we held them to 12 shots, so I felt like we had most of the game 5-on-5. Our power play needs to step up, and obviously their power play got two goals, which was the difference. So, our power play needs to step up, but I thought we pushed hard and we kept going and just couldn't get another goal.”
“It was a fun hockey game,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “It's hard to leave this game feeling awful about it. Now, in saying that, similar to [Vancouver in Game 2], in the third period we were pushing and they were sitting back. So, you can't get carried away into thinking your game is rock solid, either.”
The result saw Vancouver take a 2-1 series lead as both teams get set for Game 4 on Sunday.
QUICK HITS
Special Teams Trouble
Special teams ended up stinging Nashville again in Game 3, as the Predators went 0-for-5 on the power play - including a two-man advantage in the third period - and allowed both Vancouver goals on the penalty kill.
“I think we're moving a little slow,” Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. “I think obviously we had one one look that was good and then we created a lot of chances and got a couple shots. But they’ve got some big fellas back there blocking a lot of shots, and I think we’ve got to try to move it a lot quicker and have a little better execution.”
“They're playing really tight in the middle and blocking a ton of shots, and if we just find ways to get more pucks to the net and outnumber them at the net, it looks like it's going to have to be a greasy one,” Evangelista said. “To give them credit, they're committed to blocking shots, but if we can just get [the puck] there and jam away, I think we'll give ourselves a good shot.”
On the series, Nashville is 1-for-13 on the power play and 7-for-9 on the penalty kill.
Offensive Pressure
The Predators entered Game 3 wanting to see more offensive pressure mounted against their opponent, and to an extent, succeeded on Friday night.
For the first time in the series, the Predators outnumbered the Canucks in both shots on goal (30-12) and shot attempts (71-33) - both series highs for Nashville.
However, in a near inverse from Game 2, the Predators offensive efforts were largely thwarted by a smothering Vancouver defense, which blocked 28 of Nashville’s shots en route to a Game 3 win.
“Obviously, tonight was basically a flip-flop from Game 2, just that we were pounding and playing a lot of offense and they were shot blocking everything, kind of like we did,” Forsberg said. “Our teams are very similar. We play pretty similar structurally as well. So I think patience is definitely going to be a big way to go.”
“I'm a big believer that if you get chances, sooner or later you'll get rewarded,” Brunette said.
“We didn't get rewarded tonight, and that's playoff hockey. The margins are tiny on both sides of the puck. I think it's a tightly-contested, low-event kind of hockey and we've played that a lot this year, and we kind of relish it. We just didn't get rewarded tonight.”
A First for Evangelista
Despite the result, Friday saw No. 77 score his first career postseason goal.
“I had some shots in Game 1 and had a bunch of shots tonight as well, and their goalie played a great game,” Evangelista said. “So, you just try and get as many shots as you can, get some traffic in front of the net and, fortunately, I was able to sink one in there. So, it was a good feeling.”
“He made a great move tonight, a great shot,” Josi said. “He's so skilled and he's so good in front of the net, and that was a big goal tonight. And he's been really good. It's his first playoffs, but he's doing awesome.”
Nashville’s rookie additionally matched forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Colton Sissons for the team lead in shots on goal, recording four against netminder Casey DeSmith.
UP NEXT
The Predators will look to even up the First Round series once more when Game 4 arrives on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena. Click here to get tickets.
Puck drop is at 4 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, TBS, truTV, MAX, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio.
NOTES
- Defenseman Spencer Stastney (upper body) exited Friday’s game during the second period and did not return.
- Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Tyson Barrie, Dante Fabbro, Cody Glass, Gustavs Grigals and Juuso Parssinen were scratched and did not skate in Friday’s game.
