Predators erase 3-goal deficit to take down Canucks in shootout

Another third-period meltdown cost the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Up 3-1 heading into the final frame, the team had to settle for a single point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators.

“We sat back instead of went after them and then the next thing you know, they’ve got two goals,” said Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau.

The Canucks (3-6-3) have given up multi-goal leads five times this season and been outscored 22-13 in third periods.

The record isn’t lost on Vancouver’s opponents.

“As soon as we scored that first goal, I felt like we had a mental advantage on them,” said Nashville defenceman Mattias Ekholm who had a pair of assists in the win.

“They seemed to be on their heels a little bit. They were just flipping pucks out and we kept coming at them and got another goal and after that, I thought we pressured for a fourth and it didn’t come until this shootout.”

Matt Duchene sealed the win finding space between Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko and his post to put away the lone strike in the shootout.

WATCH | Duchene wins it in the shootout:

Predators rally to defeat Canucks in shootout

10 hours ago

Duration 1:28

Down by three goals after a period, Nashville comes back to beat Vancouver 4-3 in a shootout.

Jordan Gross recorded his first two NHL goals for the Predators (5-6-1) in regulation while Nino Niederreiter scored and notched an assist.

All three of Vancouver’s goals came in the first period, with J.T. Miller putting up a goal and a helper, Ilya Mikheyev and Andrei Kuzmenko each finding the back of the net and Quinn Hughes contributing a pair of assists.

Saros stands tall

Nashville goalie Juuse Saros struggled early but recovered and stopped 43-of-46 shots across regulation play and overtime. Demko made 27 saves for the Canucks.

“[Saros] had my number, that’s for sure,” Miller said. “I could have broke the game early multiple times and opened it multiple times. And I didn’t so I’ve got to find a way to bear down on my chances.”

Niederreiter levelled the score at the 2:41 mark of the third, collecting his own rebound and poking it through Demko’s pads to make it 3-3.

Night to remember for Gross

Playing in his second game for the Predators, Gross put away his second of the night 95 seconds earlier.

Nashville won the offensive-zone faceoff and Zach Sanford dished a quick pass to Gross. The 27-year-old defenceman sailed a quick wrist shot over Demko’s shoulder.

Gross got Nashville on the board with a second-period power-play goal.

Tanner Jeannot levelled Ethan Bear along the boards, sending the defenceman’s helmet flying and irking fellow blue liner Tyler Myers, who challenged Jeannot to a fight.

The ensuing skirmish saw both Myers and Jeannot handed fighting penalties, but Myers was also given a two-minute minor for instigating and a 10-minute misconduct.

Gross tipped in a Niederreiter shot from the low slot at the 3:00 mark, putting the Preds on the board with his first NHL goal.

Vancouver was 1-for-4 with the man advantage Saturday and Nashville went 1-for-5.

Canucks start hot

Kuzmenko gave the Canucks a 3-0 cushion with a power-play goal 17:32 into the game after Cole Smith was sent to the box for high-sticking.

Miller sent a sharp-angle shot flying toward the net and Kuzmenko redirected it in for his fifth goal of the season.

Vancouver jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 3:41 into the first when Miller collected a Nils Hoglander rebound and popped it through Saros’ pads.

Coming off a high-flying 8-5 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, the Canucks were quick on the board Saturday night.

“We knew that just because the first period was in our favour pretty much the whole time that the game wasn’t over,” Miller said. “There was a couple of mistakes made and it sucks to come out [with a loss]. We played a good 40 minutes, set ourselves up.

“And obviously, at this point in time we’re tired of getting teams coming back on us. But it’s not all bad and I think we’re a lot closer than people think.”