Linus Karlsson scored his first NHL goal (and first game-winner) as the Vancouver Canucks won their third straight, beating the Nashville Predators 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night. Nils Hoglander also scored for the Canucks while Tommy Novak answered for the Predators. Canucks captain Quinn Hughes notched two assists in the victory and is now the leading scorer amongst defencemen in the NHL, two ahead of the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar.
With the win, the Canucks are back in a playoff spot, one point ahead of the idle Calgary Flames.
Game Recap
The Canucks and Predators traded goals in the first period in the span of 90 seconds. First, it was Nils Hoglander at 7:11 with a snipe past Juuse Saros and then Tommy Novak at 8:41 after a botched 2-on-1 where he missed the pass from Zachary L’Heureux, but had it deflect off his skate and past Thatcher Demko. This was after a big pad save by Saros on Danton Heinen at the other end. After that initial flurry of action, both teams gave the fans some exciting end-to-end hockey, but ultimately no more goals as they exited the period tied on the scoreboard at one and the shot clock at 13.
Despite the Predators outshooting the Canucks 8-3 in the middle frame, it was the latter that had the lead going into the second intermission. It was a milestone goal too, as Linus Karlsson potted his first in the NHL. Only 1:28 into the period, Tyler Myers made a pinpoint pass to the rookie who tipped it past the glove of Saros. The second assist went to Quinn Hughes, marking the third straight game he’s had at a multipoint effort – the 101st of his career. As mentioned, the rest of the period did not see any more scoring and the Canucks held the 2-1 advantage going into the third.
The Predators had their chances in the third period (including a post and a crossbar) but couldn’t solve Demko with the 11 shots they threw his way. After Filip Forsberg took a penalty for goaltender interference in the final minute, it was Pius Suter who sealed it into an empty net for a 3-1 lead and ultimately the Canucks’ third straight win.
Goalie Matchup
- Demko had his first strong game in a while, stopping 31 of 32 shots. He got some help from his friends, the iron, but as most goaltenders will say, that’s a part of their equipment. He improved to 4-5-3 on the season.
- Saros wasn’t very busy after the first period but allowed the game-winner to Karlsson in the second when he faced only three shots. He ended up stopping 19 of 21 in defeat and fell to 11-20-6.
What’s Next For the Canucks & Predators?
Both teams are next in action on Friday. The Canucks will finish this short road trip in Dallas for a showdown with the Stars, while the Predators will be in Buffalo for a date with the Sabres.
