The margins of playoff hockey are narrow. On Sunday in Vancouver, the Nashville Predators lost Game 1 in 12 seconds.
The Vancouver Canucks scored twice in that span in the third period to take the lead and win Game 1 of the first-round NHL playoff series 4-2.
Nashville led 2-1 midway through the third when Quinn Hughes’ shot from the point beat a screened Juuse Saros at 8:59 to tie the game.
Conor Garland won a battle for the puck against Jeremy Lauzon behind Saros’ net, and Dakota Joshua shook off Alexandre Carrier to score the go-ahead goal at 9:11.
Joshua scored an empty-net goal with 88 seconds left to seal the Canucks’ win.
Vancouver leads the first-round, best-of-seven series 1-0, but the Game 1 loss was a missed opportunity for the Predators.
Nashville opened the scoring in the first period on Jason Zucker’s goal, which was canceled out by Elias Lindholm’s shot that squeezed past Saros. Ryan O’Reilly gave the Predators the lead back later in the second period with a power-play goal.
The Predators played 2½ periods of solid, organized hockey against the Canucks, whose stars wasted several chances by missing the net or getting shots blocked.
And then the Canucks flipped the script in 12 seconds in the third period as they set a franchise postseason record for fastest time between goals.
Game 2 is Tuesday in Vancouver, with a 9 p.m. Central scheduled puck drop.
Recap Game 1 below:
Juuse Saros exits with two minutes to play, but Nashville can’t get a good chance and the Canucks eventually get the puck out to center ice. Dakota Joshua seals Game 1 for the Canucks with his second goal of the period, an empty-netter.
Jeremy Lauzon gets beat by the Canucks forecheck behind Juuse Saros and Conor Garland finds Dakota Joshua for the go-ahead goal. Not a pretty sequence for Alexandre Carrier either.
48 minutes of good work undone by a poor dozen seconds by the Predators. Canucks lead 3-2 and Rogers Arena is in it.
Rogers Arena is alive. The Canucks’ stars get sustained possession in the offensive zone, and Quinn Hughes’ shot from the point gets around some screens and beats Juuse Saros.
2-2.
Vancouver is still struggling to get the puck on goal off of good chances, but those chances have been there even on the power play.
Still, Nashville kills off the penalty, a Jeremy Lauzon cross-checking call.
Nashville had a third second-period power play but produced little in it. The Predators have been well-organized in front of Juuse Saros. A big 20 minutes coming up after the second intermission. Canucks lead the shot total, 14-12.
Tommy Novak draws a holding penalty that should have been a tripping penalty, but the Predators can’t add on via the man advantage.
Nashville established the puck in the offensive zone during their second power play, but no shots on goal. Canucks’ PK was more organized during that kill.
On the power play. Ryan O’Reilly goes top shelf over the left glove of Thatcher Demko to give the Predators a 2-1 lead. Took Nashville’s top power play group a little while to get settled, but an excellent string of passes set O’Reilly up in prime position with Luke Evangelista as a screen. Preds lead 2-1.
It was a Teddy Blueger interference penalty drawn by Jeremy Lauzon that set up the power play.
Elias Lindholm’s rather long shot on goal squirts by Juuse Saros through his right side and into the net. Tie game.
Nashville will need to settle into this period now. Even before that, Vancouver had another flub of a quality opportunity right at the start of the period.
Nashville and Vancouver have combined for nine shots on goal, 35 hits and a goal by Jason Zucker.
Vancouver has had some chances off of turnovers and on the rush but have not gotten clean shots off of those chances.
Off a face-off, Jason Zucker’s shot from the right dot gets through a couple screens and beats Thatcher Demko for the opening goal. Predators take the lead.
Assists to Roman Josi and Mark Jankowski. Screen assist to Colton Sissons.
Nashville’s penalty kill allows just one shot on goal in Vancouver’s first power play of the series following a Colton Sissons cross-checking penalty. Physical start for both teams.
Anthony Beauvillier had a prime chance through the middle in front of net but was denied by Thatcher Demko about three minutes into the first period. Predators have started well, but that was a very good opportunity.
Rogers Arena is charged up for Game 1. Can the Predators weather the emotion of the first segment of play here?
Game 1 is underway.
Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
The Predators face the Vancouver Canucks, with puck drop scheduled for 9 p.m. CT Sunday at Rogers Arena.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, April 20
All times Central
Game 1: Nashville at Vancouver; 9 p.m. CT, Sunday, April 21 on ESPN and Bally Sports South
Game 2: Nashville at Vancouver; 9 p.m. CT, Tuesday, April 23 on ESPN2 and Bally Sports South
Game 3: Vancouver at Nashville; 6:30 p.m. CT, Friday, April 26 on TBS and Bally Sports South
Game 4: Vancouver at Nashville; 4 p.m. CT, Sunday, April 28 on TBS, truTV and Bally Sports South
Game 5 (if necessary): Nashville at Vancouver; TBD on Tuesday, April 30
Game 6 (if necessary): Vancouver at Nashville; TBD on Friday, May 3
Game 7 (if necessary): Nashville at Vancouver; TBD on Sunday, May 5
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
