Filip Forsberg scores twice, sets up another to lead Preds over Canucks 3-1

VANCOUVER - Filip Forsberg scored twice and added an assist as the Nashville Predators held on for a 3-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday at Rogers Arena.

Colin Wilson also scored and Goalie Pekka Rinne made 26 saves for the Predators (7-2-2), who won for the second time three games into their six-game road swing.

Defenceman Alex Edler scored the only goal for the Canucks (8-4-0), who had a four-game win streak snapped before heading out for a tough away trip through California and Colorado.

Eddie Lack, making his first start since getting hammered for seven goals at Colorado on Oct. 24, finished the evening with 30 saves. Ryan Miller had the night off after backstopping his team to a 3-2 win at Edmonton the night before.

It was midway through the first when the Canucks opened the scoring while on a power play. Defenceman Luca Sbisa levelled Preds winger Tayor Beck against the boards, earning the ire of captain Shea Weber, who dropped his gloves and went after Sbisa.

It was only 24 seconds into the roughing penalty to Weber when Edler blasted one from the point that snuck through traffic to beat Pinne at 11:10.

Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who doesn't wear a visor, left the game shortly after when he took a puck in the eye behind the Nashville net. He did not return and the Canucks were forced to play with down a D-man.

Lack looked on his game for Vancouver midway through the opening frame when he made a great pad save on a Mike Ribeiro rocket from the slot. He finished the period with 11 saves.

With the Canucks serving a penalty for too many men on the ice early in the second, the Preds were given a gift to tie the game. Vancouver defenceman Dan Hamhuis tipped a Forsberg shot into his own net with surprising accuracy to make it 1-1. It wasn't a period to remember for Vancouver, which recorded a mere three shots on goal.

Minutes after Nashville's goal the casualties piled up for Vancouver as Canucks winger Tom Sestito was helped off to the locker-room with a lower-body injury and he did not return.

The Canucks came out with more energy in the third and proceeded to pepper Rinne, firing more pucks at the Finnish goalie in the first three minutes than all of the second period combined.

However, it was Nashville that would jump ahead when James Neal powered his way in for a shot, then fanned on it, before Forsberg skated in behind Neal and lifted the puck past Lack to make it 2-1 at 6:42 into the third.

Wilson added some insurance with under two minutes to play with a snipe that went top shelf over Lack's shoulder. It was his first of the season.

Notes: The Canucks are hitting the road for a four-game road trip, starting Tuesday in Denver followed by three stops in California. ... Nashville's next stop on its current six-game road swing is Tuesday at Winnipeg. ... Sunday was the first of three meetings between the Canucks and the Preds. The next two are both in Nashville, Jan. 13 and Mar. 31. ... Prized Canucks prospect Bo Horvat was recalled on Sunday from Utica (AHL), but did not play and is likely to make his NHL debut on Tuesday.