Vancouver Canucks, Andrei Kuzmenko

Canucks Roar Back, Lose Shoot-Out 5-4

The Vancouver Canucks scored twice 51-seconds apart, in the final 1:07 of the game against the Nashville Predators to tie it and force overtime.

The Canucks would lose in a three-round shoot-out, 5-4.

Game On!

The Canucks missed Luke Schenn on the blueline. The veteran flew home as the game was being played for apparent impending trade reasons and to spend some bonus time with his wife who’s getting close to having a baby.

The D-men scrambled and lost assignments on both of the Predators first two goals. Cole Smith picked up his 3rd of the season at 4:38 of the first period and Philip Tomasino cut to the net and tallied at 7:57 of the 2nd period on the power play. Collin Delia started for the BC Boys in net.

The Canucks would answer on Predators netminder Juuse Saros.

Canucks Goal Scorers:

2nd Period

2-1 Predators – Even Strength – Andrei Kuzmenko (25) from Ethan Bear and Quinn Hughes, 12:47

With a long stretch pass Bear sprung “Koozy” on a breakaway and he went high glove with a rocket.

2-2 Tied – Power Play – Sheldon Dries (8) from Brock Boeser and Conor Garland, 19:38

After a puck slid through Saros and sat against the right post, Dries jammed it in before the goal came off the pegs.

Bizarro

Just 12-seconds after the Canucks tied it, and with only 10-seconds remaining in the 2nd period, the Predators re-took the lead 3-2 on a goal by Nino Niederreiter. For the second time in the game, Vancouver defenceman Tyler Myers was in behind his netminder while the goal was being scored.

Myers was on the ice for all four goals against, including when he ran into the linesman and fell down before the sequence that allowed Mikael Granlund to score in the third period.

3rd Period

4-3 Predators – Even Strength – Conor Garland (12) from Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson, 18:53

Hughes fired a shot from the left wing boards and Garland tipped it in.

4-4 Tied – Even Strength – Andrei Kuzmenko (26) from J.T. Miller and Anthony Beauvillier, 19:44

On an elongated give-and-go Kuzmenko went hard to the net and redirected Miller’s slap-pass past Saros.

Shoot-out:

NASH – Granlund – shot – NO

VAN – Kuzmenko – deke – NO

NASH – Matt Duchene – shot – YES

VAN – Miller – deke – NO

NASH – Josi – shot – NO

VAN – Pettersson – shot – NO

Predators centre Ryan Johansen left the game in the second period after his lower right leg was sliced open by Quinn Hughes’s skate blade in the left wing corner in the Canucks zone. He was helped to the Nashville dressing room.

The Canucks outshot the Predators 40-26. Power plays: Vancouver 1-for-4, Nashville 1-for 4.

Vancouver visits the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.

Rob Simpson

Rob Simpson has covered the NHL in five different decades. He’s authored 4 books on hockey and is a veteran TV and radio play-by-play man and reporter.