NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jason LaBarbera made 31 saves in his first start for Vancouver, and Mattias Ohlund and Willie Mitchell scored goals in the Canucks' 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.

LaBarbera, acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, allowed only Rich Peverley's power-play goal midway through the second period.

Vancouver has won its last five games against Nashville, three this season.

Mitchell scored the winner with 4:06 left in the third, firing a slapshot from just inside the blue-line that went through traffic and beat Pekka Rinne.

Vancouver opened the scoring when Ohlund, shooting low from off of the left boards, beat Rinne high to his glove side with a wrist shot at 7:19 of the first period.

The Predators tied it on Peverley's goal at 7:53 of the second period. Peverley found the net with a one-timer from a few feet out on the left side.

It was the first game between the teams since Dec. 9 when Nashville's Scott Nichol sustained a concussion and J.P. Dumont was hit in the head. Nashville coach Barry Trotz thought both hits were serious enough for sanctions by the NHL, but league officials did not agree. Nichol has missed nine straight games.

While the Predators stressed they would not be seeking revenge, Jordin Tootoo and Vancouver's Alex Burrows squared off 22 seconds into the game. The rest of the game featured some fierce hitting from both sides, with Nashville's Wade Belak and Vancouver's Darcy Hordichuk exchanging punches at 6:16 of the third period.

Notes: The last time LaBarbera faced Nashville was Oct. 25 with the Kings. He was pulled from the game after allowing three goals in the first 13 minutes. ... Dumont hasn't scored a goal in nine straight games. ... The Predators have scored only nine goals in their last seven games. ... Vancouver is 2-3-0 in its last five.