Canucks Survive Game 3 With 2-1 Win, Take 2-1 Series Lead – Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks
It wasn't always good. In fact, it probably never was. But when you're playing on the road in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against a team that likes to grind it out, that's exactly what the Vancouver Canucks did Friday night in Nashville. Vancouver trailed the Predators 2-1, withstanding near-constant pressure as the third period wore on, including some surprising close calls in the final minutes.
Canucks Capitalize on Valuable Chances
For those who like their hockey fast and full of scoring opportunities, this was the polar opposite, at least in the first two seasons. Despite only 12 netting attempts and a lackluster attack, the Canucks got precious few opportunities to appear. Case in point: their first shot came at 13:23 of the first period, but it was JT Miller's wrister on the power play that opened the scoring.
Related: Nikita Zadorov Key to Canucks Achieving Playoff Success
Vancouver did little until 4:33 into the frame when, again, the visitors made good to a man. This time, Miller played the role of a helper by sending the puck to Brock Boeser in the crease who touched the puck past Juuse Saros.
Canucks netminder Casey DeSmith — not entirely blamed for Game 2 but not too bad — was at his peak in Game 3. Whether it was a deflection, a screen, or a completely clean effort, he had a firm hand on Luke Evangelista's wrist late. that made the end of the game the story of the road. Regardless of how many minutes the Canucks spent in the Predators zone, the fact of the matter is that they won 2-1 and had a chance to win the series 2-1.
Can they repeat that type of performance in Game 4? We will find out on Sunday evening.
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