A pair of power-play goals pushed the visiting Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Canucks in Vancouver on Friday.
Roman Josi and Philip Tomasino both scored for the Preds (6-5-0) on the man advantage, and Matt Duchene added an even-strength tally. Mikael Granlund contributed a pair of assists.
Brock Boeser and Nils Hoglander replied for the Canucks, who fell to 4-6-1 on the season.
Vancouver got another strong performance from netminder Thatcher Demko, who stopped 25-of-28 shots.
Juuse Saros registered 26 saves for Nashville and collected his fifth win of the year.
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 special teams floundered Friday, going scoreless on five power-play chances and giving up goals on 2 of 3 penalties.
The Canucks had a prime opportunity to change the narrative midway through the third after Alex Carrier was called for interference.
But the lone shot of the power play belonged to Nashville who saw a short-handed breakaway chance from Colton Sissons stopped by Demko.
The Preds took a 3-2 lead into the third period with their second power-play goal of the night 19:15 into the middle frame.
Mattias Ekholm sliced a pass across the crease to Tomasino, and the centreman sent a wrist shot flying bar down and in to give Nashville the lead.
Granlund set up the equalizer earlier in the period, springing Duchene for a solo opportunity deep in Vancouver territory.
Duchene faked a shot, then popped a backhander in over a sprawling Demko to make it 2-2.
The Canucks gained some momentum midway through the second with multiple chances for a go-ahead goal.
H枚gs and Boeser must be practicing the same move 馃憣
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Hoglander finally gave the home side its only lead of the night 10:08 into the period with some patient play.
The Swedish winger received a pass from Bo Horvat in the slot and patiently out waited Saros before tucking a shot in behind the goalieB次元官网网址檚 skate for his first goal of the season.
The first period ended with a flourish after Boeser drew the Canucks even with 8.6 seconds to play.
The right-winger drew Saros to the top of his crease, then seamlessly pulled the puck to his backhand before tapping a shot into the empty net for his third goal of the year.
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The Predators opened the scoring with an early power-play marker after Hoglander was called for tripping Josi just over five minutes into the game.
Josi capitalized 24 seconds into the penalty, ripping a slap shot directly into the Vancouver net from near the blue line.
The CanucksB次元官网网址� penalty kill has struggled mightily early this season and was tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the fourth-worst in the league (70 per cent) ahead of FridayB次元官网网址檚 game.
Vancouver continues its homestand Sunday against the Dallas Stars. Nashville wraps up a four-game road trip in Chicago the same night.
NOTES: Canucks forward J.T. Miller has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 11 games this season. B次元官网网址� Vancouver has allowed the first goal six games in a row. B次元官网网址� Friday marked the CanucksB次元官网网址� fifth annual Diwali night. The club marked the occasion with colourful warm-up jerseys and performances by South Asian artists during intermissions.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
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