The Nashville Predators rallied to force overtime on Monday night, but they ultimately fell to the Vancouver Canucks by a 5-4 final at Bridgestone Arena. The result sees the Preds gain a single point in the standings to begin a back-to-back set.
Filip Forsberg, Erik Haula, Michael Bunting and Nick Blankenburg all tallied for Nashville - with Haula and Blankenburg scoring on the power play - and the Preds scored twice in the final frame, but they were unable to close things out as Vancouver scored the OT winner with just two seconds to play in the extra session.
“I thought [we] maybe started a little slow, but the longer the game went on, I think we got better and better,” Forsberg said. “We thought our third period after their goal was really good. We created a ton of chances. Obviously, got that tie and goal at the end, but overtime [had no chances] really either way, until one little breakdown, and that's what happens in overtime, I guess. But overall, I think it was great to see the boys battle back. But would it be nice to get two [points].”
“The loss is fresh, so obviously a lot of frustration,” Haula said. “Want to get to a shootout there, but we all know that it's a big point for us being down two goals - never easy to come back in this League - and good resiliency by our group. It's nice that our power play was able to step up - we've been needing that, so it's good.”
Forsberg struck first on the night when he put home his own rebound past Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko early in the first period, but Vancouver evened the score on the power play before the frame was out.
In the second stanza, the Canucks scored twice in less than three minutes to take a two-goal lead, but Haula one-timed a feed from Forsberg into the twine on the power play late in the period to bring the Preds back to within one.
After Vancouver took a two-goal lead in the third period once more, Bunting had a shot deflect off his skate and in to bring Nashville to within one again. Then, with less than four minutes left to play in regulation, Blankenburg’s point shot found a way through traffic to give the Preds their second consecutive four-goal game.
But in the overtime session, Brock Boeser beat Juuse Saros with two seconds remaining to send the Preds on their way without a second point in the standings.
“It’s too bad,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said of the final result. “I guess we're learning our lessons a little hard here. [Ryan O’Reilly] did a great job winning a battle, and we kind of just let our foot off the gas a little bit and got on the wrong side of stuff coming out of the corner. That's why you play right to the buzzer.”
Now, the Predators will turn their attention to a date with the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday night and another chance at two points against a division foe.
“This schedule is grueling, and there's no time to look back,” Haula said. “There's ebbs and flows in a game, and you’ve just got to keep going. The belief in the group is vital. When we let that slip, I think it shows on the ice, and we had good energy on the bench. Guys stayed up and we were able to come back like we talked about. That's always a good sign.
“I mean, this is just a tough stretch for us. Got another one tomorrow, so short memory here, try to just recover and get ready to battle again tomorrow.”
Notes:
On Sunday, the Preds announced forward Cole Smith will miss 3-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. Additionally, Captain Roman Josi was placed on Injured Reserve with his upper-body injury.
Forward Tyson Jost took Smith’s place on the fourth line in Monday’s loss.
Nick Blankenburg tied the game with 3:32 remaining in regulation, marking the latest game-tying goal by a Predators defenseman since Ryan Ellis on March 21, 2019 (56:59).
Nashville will now jet off to Minnesota to face the Wild on Tuesday night to finish off a back-to-back set.
