Predators score seven, defeat Canucks for ninth win in 12 games

VANCOUVER -- P.K. Subban scored two goals, Craig Smith had a goal and two assists, and the Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks 7-1 at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.
Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg, Kevin Fiala and Calle Jarnkrok also scored, and Pekka Rinne made 25 saves for the Predators (19-7-4), who won for the ninth time in 12 games (9-1-2). The only regulation loss was against Vancouver, 5-3 in Nashville on Nov. 30, when the Predators allowed three third-period goals.

"We did a really good job of getting pucks deep and wanting to attack the game," Subban said. "The last time we played against them we sat back too much and took our foot off the pedal. We're the type of team that when we attack we're really tough to defend against. We saw some of the skill come out as the game went on."
WATCH: [All Predators vs. Canucks highlights]
Forward Ryan Johansen, who missed the past three games with an upper-body injury, had two assists for the Predators.
"They came back against us last time, so we wanted to make sure we finished them off," Johansen said. "It seemed like whoever was on the ice was creating offense or playing good defense. Throughout the lineup, the two-way game tonight I thought was spectacular. [Rinne] was there when we had our breakdowns."

Alexander Burmistrov scored, Henrik Sedin had his 800th NHL assist, and Anders Nilsson made 41 saves for the Canucks (14-14-4), who have lost four straight (0-4-0) and been outscored 20-5 since No. 1 center Bo Horvat broke his foot on Dec. 5.
"I don't care about the score; they got some fortunate bounces," Sedin said. "It was disappointing the way we responded. When it's 4-1 we have to play with some pride, play for Anders. We gave up chance after chance when the game is out of hand."
Subban made it 1-0 on Nashville's first shot 1:33 into the first period after intercepting a pass out of the Canucks zone near the top of the right face-off circle. His one-timer arced over a defender skating into the slot and dropped in over the left shoulder of a screened Nilsson.
"I have to see that one," Nilsson said. "I just lost the puck and it was in the net."
Arvidsson made it 2-0 on a shorthanded 2-on-0 with Johansen at 14:38, and Subban scored his second on a hard shot while crossing center ice 3:05 into the second period for a 3-0 lead. The puck was going wide but deflected in off Nilsson's glove as he tried to catch it.

"I just tried to shoot as hard as I could," Subban said. "Sometimes when you do that the pucks are tough to handle -- just fortunate bounces -- but I can think of a couple times this year where [on] more of an honest play that pucks should have went in and they didn't, so I'll take it."
Burmistrov scored on a power-play rebound at 5:01 to cut the lead to 3-1 but Forsberg replied 59 seconds later on the power play when his pass deflected in off a defender to make it 4-1.
Smith (8:48), Fiala (11:57) and Jarnkrok (12:37) scored in the third period for Nashville.
"Some pretty creative plays," Johansen said. "We've just got to make sure we stay on the throttle. Good to see everybody stay on the gas."

Goal of the game

Arvidsson's goal on a shorthanded 2-on-0 rush at 14:38 of the first period.

Save of the game

Rinne lunged across to deny Thomas Vanek from the top of the crease 6:26 into the first period.

Highlight of the game

Subban's goal from center ice 3:05 into the second period.

They said it

"It's tough. They've got some key injuries to their lineup and we're a really good team. We're a deep team. When we're playing well we come at you in droves, shift after shift." -- Predators defenseman P.K. Subban
"You look at the goals and there are three -- call them what you want -- weird-bouncing goals, a shorthanded goal, and that's hard on the psyche of a team that isn't going to score easy and the third period gets away from them." -- Canucks coach Travis Green

Need to know

Nashville forward Scott Hartnell returned after missing 13 games with a lower-body injury. … Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev played one 17-second shift after going to the locker room with a slight limp 5:38 into the third period. Green didn't have an update on his status.

What's next

Predators:At the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, SNW, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Canucks: Host the San Jose Sharks on Friday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)