The Nashville Predators kept their season alive with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday.
Roman Josi and Alexandre Carrier scored for the Preds, who narrowed their deficit in the best-of-seven matchup to 3-2.
Star winger Filip Forsberg assisted on both tallies.
After two scoreless periods, defenceman Nikita Zadorov got the Canucks on the board early in the third period.
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Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 20 of 22 shots for Vancouver and Juuse Saros made 19 saves for Nashville.
The series returns to Nashville for Game 6 on Friday night.
Vancouver poured on the pressure early Tuesday, creating a flurry of chances in the gameB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s opening minutes.
As the first period wore on, Silovs proved to be a force of calm for the Canucks.
Ryan McDonagh tried to beat the 23-year-old Latvian goalie with a drag move midway through the frame, but Silovs simply reached up and snatched the puck out of mid-air.
VancouverB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s best chance of the first came in the periodB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s final seconds when J.T. Miller bolted out of the penalty box, collected the puck for a breakaway, and sent a wrist shot just wide of the Nashville net.
The Preds came into the second with a burst of offensive force, and outshot the home side 11-4 across the period.
Cole Smith unleashed a one-timer from the middle of the faceoff circle 33 seconds into the frame, hitting the top of SilovsB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ blocker. The goalie watched the rebound drop to the ice and pounced to cover it up.
Midway through the second, Nashville got another prime chance, this time while down a man.
With Anthony Beauvillier in the box for hooking, Kiefer Sherwood streaked down the ice on a short-handed breakaway, only to see his shot clang off the post.
Vancouver went 0-for-2 on the power play Tuesday while Nashville was 1-for-4.
The Canucks finally broke the scoring drought 3:11 into the third period when Zadorov fired a sharp-angle shot under the crossbar from just above the goal line.
It was the bruising defencemanB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s second goal of the playoffs.
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The Predators levelled the score with a power-play goal 7:15 into the third after Dakota Joshua was called for boarding.
Silovs stopped Josi on a breakaway, freezing the puck under his body, only to be pushed into the net, with the puck squirting lose and skittering across the goal line for the PredsB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ captainB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s first goal of the post-season.
The tally snapped the CanucksB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ streak of 17 successful penalty kills.
Nashville took the lead 12:46 into the third when Carrier, using a screen from Ryan OB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™Reilly, blasted a shot past Silovs from just inside the blue line.
Vancouver pulled Silovs in favour of an extra attacker with two minutes left on the game clock, but couldnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t score the equalizer.
INS AND OUTS
Predators defenceman Luke Schenn was a late scratch due to illness. Tyson Barrie took his spot in the lineup and played his first game since March 28.
UP NEXT
Game 6 is set to go in Nashville on Friday.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press