Canucks recover in OT against Predators after blowing 2-goal lead in 3rd

NASHVILLE -- Brock Boeser scored his second goal with just two seconds remaining in overtime, and the Vancouver Canucks recovered for a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Monday.

Boeser collected a pass from Elias Pettersson, skated to the front of the net and beat Juuse Saros with a backhand from in tight.

Evander Kane also had two goals, Jake DeBrusk scored, and Pettersson had two assists for the Canucks (7-7-0), who have won three of their past five. Boeser also had an assist, and Thatcher Demko made 25 saves.

“I liked the way we hung in there,” Vancouver coach Adam Foote said. “We were resilient. I mean, you saw that goal they got to tie, it was just a breakdown as far as they hit a stick and then a screened shot. I was just happy that we stayed within ourselves. Should’ve won that without (overtime) for sure, but that happens some nights.”

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes returned to the lineup after missing the previous four games because of a lower-body injury. He finished with six shots on goal and was plus-2 in 28:04 of ice time.

“It was nice,” Foote said. “We all know what [Hughes] brings. He was all over the place early in that game creating, and our game plan worked down low in the offensive end. I thought we could’ve had a couple more. Their goalie played good and kept them in it.”

Filip Forsberg and Michael Bunting each had a goal and an assist for the Predators (5-6-3), who are 1-3-1 in their past five games. Saros made 31 saves, and Luke Evangelista had two assists.

“When you’re tired, the key is you have to make sure your details are sharp,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “You have to make sure every puck means a little bit more. It doesn’t have to be the prettiest puck, but it has to be a puck that you’re willing to battle for, willing to be hard on it.

“I just thought our urgency going back for pucks in certain areas wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Is it fatigue? I think partly. But I mean if you want to win in this League, we all have no choices. Every team in the League is going through this.”

Bunting cut Vancouver's lead to 4-3 at 11:52 of the third period on a redirection of a point shot from Spencer Stastney.

Nick Blankenburg tied the game 4-4 on the power play at 16:38 with a long-distance shot through traffic.

Forsberg gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 6:47 of the first period off a pass in front of the net from Brady Skjei. Demko stopped Forsberg’s initial shot, but the forward was able to bury the rebound five-hole.

“I thought our line was hard on pucks,” Forsberg said. “I tried to be holding on to the puck a little bit more, not just hacking and whacking it. It felt better, but it would’ve been nice to cap that with a win.”

Kane tied it 1-1 at 14:45 with a one-timer on the power play. His shot went off of Predators forward Tyson Jost’s stick and over Saros' glove for his first goal with the Canucks (14th game).

DeBrusk put the Canucks up 2-1 at 12:57 of the second period, tipping in a pass from Boeser on the power play.

Boeser then pushed the lead to 3-1 at 15:05 with a snap shot from the slot off a feed from Tom Willander. The assist was Willander's first NHL point (fourth game).

“I just got the puck and felt like the ice was pretty open, so I just took some ice,” Willander said. “I got a little bit of speed on the defender and just tried to go around him. I guess I got around him and just sent the puck.”

Erik Haula scored for the Predators to make it 3-2 at 18:45. He buried a backhand pass from Forsberg in front on the power play.

Kane extended it to 4-2 with his second goal at 3:02 of the third period. With an extra attacker on the ice during a delayed penalty, Linus Karlsson knocked the puck to Kane from the top of the crease, where he beat a diving Saros at the right side of the net.

NOTES: Boeser scored the second-latest overtime goal in Canucks history. The only one later was scored by Sami Salo (4:59 of overtime on Oct. 20, 2006). ... Forsberg has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past eight games.