Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
After going 1-6 in the past 7 games against the Vancouver Canucks inside Bridgestone Arena, Nashville finally were able to get a decisive win against one of their tougher opponents in the Western Conference.
Mike Fisher scored a goal and added two helpers as the Predators were able to grab their second win in a row and take the season series over the Canucks with a 3-1 win tonight.
After a back and forth first period where both teams were just seemingly trying to feel each other out, the Predators struck first early in the second period. Benefiting from a Henrik Sedin tripping call 4:58, it only took Nashville 44 seconds to score. Mike Fisher buried a Ryan Suter pass giving the Predators a 1-0 lead.
8 minutes later, a 2-on-1 shorthanded breakaway would extend the lead. After Mike Fisher deked around a Vancouver defenseman, Fisher and Kositsyn broke down the ice towards an awaiting Roberto Luongo. Fisher backhands it to Kostitsyn who one times it past Luongo for the 2-0 lead.
Dale Weise would cut the lead down to 2-1 after lifting a puck over Pekka Rinne’s shoulder at the 16:52 mark of the second period. However, in the third period, David Legwand would seal the deal in the waning minutes of the game, making it 3-1 on a roofer over Luongo at 17:09 of the third.
Special Teams:
Powerplay – 1 for 3, 33%
Penalty Kill – 2 for 2, 100%
Best Play of the Game: Fisher and Kostitsyn scoring the rare shorthanded goal during the second period. It started with Fisher’s rope-a-dope around a Canucks defenseman and finished with a Fisher backhand and Kostitsyn one-timer.
Worst Play of the Game: At the 8:35 mark of the second period, Colin Wilson was called for hooking. However, in the obvious replay, Wilson’s stick was clearly grabbed (very visibly as well) and held around the body of the Canucks player. Poor call.
My Three Stars:
#1: – Mike Fisher – 1 goal, 2 assists, +2 on the night. You couldn’t ask for much more from Mike Fisher tonight, especially after coming back from the flu and missing the previous game against Dallas.
#2: – Pekka Rinne – 32 saves on 33 shots. Rinne grabs his career-high 33rd win of the season and passes Jimmy Howard for the NHL league lead in wins for the season.
#3: – Martin Erat – 2 assists, +1 on the night. Another multi-point night for what could be a career year for the Czech Republic native.
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