The Nashville Predators comeback effort fell short in Monday’s matchup against the Vancouver Canucks as Brock Boeser scored with two seconds left in overtime to give the Canucks a 5-4 win over the Predators.
Filip Forsberg put the Predators up early in the first period off his sixth goal of the season. Nashville fell into a 3-1 hole in the second period, and Erik Haula scored on the power play to cut into the Canucks lead.
Vancouver built its lead back up to two goals in the early third period, but conversions from Michael Bunting and on the power play, Nick Blankenburg, sent the game to overtime.
In overtime, Elias Petterson swatted the puck to Boeser in front of the net and he scored on a backhander to end the game. It was his second goal of the game.
Here are three takeaways from the Predators loss to the Canucks
Nashville has won beyond regulation this season, which was 5-4 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 25. However, it is 0-for-3 in games decided in a five-minute overtime.
Agains the Utah Mammoth, the Predators were dominated in the possession battle and saw Utah convert just under three minutes into extra time. Against the Canadiens, Cole Caufield stung Nashville twice at the buzzer, ending the game with three seconds left in extra time.
Monday, it was another overtime with the opponent dominating the possession game. Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes hung onto the puck for long periods of time and forced the Predators to chase them.
Nashville had one chance as Brady Skjei got a good look at the net. It was able to shove a few Canucks off the puck, but the Predators could not get a good rush going.
Unlike in the past, the Predators battled back to force overtime. They faced a two-goal deficit midway through the third period and got their offense going. It was an improvement, but not enough for the win.
On most nights, the Predators’ power play is bad, and the penalty kill is elite. Coming into Monday’s game, Nashville had a 12.5% (30th) power-play efficiency and an 88.4% (6th) penalty-killing efficiency.
Against the Canucks, it was the power play that dominated and the penalty kill that sputtered.
The Predators’ power play converted on 2-of-4 opportunities, which included the game-tying goal. It’s the first time this season the Predators have scored twice on the power play in a game and the first time since April. 10, they’ve scored more than once with the man advantage.
It’s the boost the unit has needed all season, considering the power play is one of the worst in the league.
On the flip side, the penalty kill successfully killed off only 1 of 3 penalties. Their successful kill, which was one of two penalties on Vancouver’s 5-on-3 advantage, was followed by a Canucks goal six seconds later on the 5-on-4 power play.
Nashville also gave up a power-play goal in the first period off a long one-timer shot from the point by Evander Kane. The lapse on special teams comes after the penalty killing unit debuted customized hoodies.
Kane scored his second goal of the game in the third period, which was on a delayed Predators penalty. It won’t statistically go down as a power play goal allowed, but it’s another situation where Vancouver had the man advantage and found the back of the net.
Cole Smith’s presence was missed as the Predators announced Sunday that the forward was week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He has played a significant role on the penalty kill.
Nashville struggled with getting the puck on net all night, while Vancouver had no issues getting shots on Juuse Saros.
The Predators were outshot 36-29, had just four shots on net in the first period and barely eclipsed double figures in the second period. Nashville’s offense is one of the lowest-scoring in the NHL, averaging 2.46 goals per game, ranking 30th.
Meanwhile, this was the eighth game this season that Saros was tasked with making 30-plus saves.
Saros continues to lead the NHL in shots faced and saves made, now with 361 shots faced and 325 saves made. While Saros is proving that he is one of the best goalies in the league, the Predators continue to ask a lot of him in the early season.
Everyone on the team, including head coach Andrew Brunette, has praised Saros’ efforts this season and stated how they need to play better in front of him. The hope is that Nashville doesn’t exhaust him after the first month of the season.
Up next: Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. CST
