Skip to content

Predators rally to beat Canucks 4-3 in OT

Jarnkrok nets winner for Nashville 43 seconds into extra time
10858703_web1_180303-IFD-Canucks-twitter
Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat, left, and Michael Del Zotto celebrate a first-period goal during NHL action against the Nashville Predators Friday at Rogers Arena. (via @Canucks/Twitter)

Calle Jarnkrok scored 43 seconds into overtime, lifting the visiting Nashville Predators to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Friday at Rogers Arena.

Mike Fisher, Kevin Fiala and Ryan Ellis also scored for Nashville (41-14-9). Bo Horvat, Brandon Sutter and Daniel Sedin tallied for Vancouver (24-32-9).

Juuse Saros made 24 saves to pick up the goaltending win in what was at times a chippy affair. Jacob Markstrom had 39 stops and took the loss.

Vancouver opened the scoring at 5:55 of the first period, when Horvat scored on a power play just six seconds after Nashville’s Alexei Emelin was sent off for hauling down Vancouver’s Darren Archibald.

Horvat’s goal - a nifty deflection of an Alex Edler point shot - was his 18th of the year.

Nashville held a 13-11 shots on goal advantage in the first frame but couldn’t beat Markstrom.

The Predators came out quickly early in the middle frame, with Viktor Arvidsson missing an open net on a wraparound and Filip Forsberg being denied by Markstrom (bouncing back after allowing three goals on five shots in his last start) in the first minute.

Vancouver had several chances to up their lead to two, but Saros made solid saves of Brock Boeser and Nikolay Goldobin.

The hosts did make it 2-0 at the 15:04 mark, when Sutter broke free from Nashville defender Anthony Bitetto and roofed a backhand blocker-side on Saros.

Fisher - playing in his first game since coming out of retirement - pulled the Preds within one just over two minutes later, finishing off a play involving Arvidsson and Forsberg at 17:26.

The Predators held a 15-10 shots advantage in the second period, with the teams tied with 19 hits apiece.

Early in the third period, Fisher had a great chance to pull Nashville even, but his shot hit the goalpost and Vancouver defender Ben Hutton made a diving clearance in the crease.

Fiala made it 2-2 midway through the final period, firing home a nice cross-ice pass from former Burnaby Express star Kyle Turris. The goal was scored on a 4-on-4 situation. Nashville’s Ryan Johansen, another B.C. product, received five minutes and a game misconduct for spearing Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson. Sutter received a minor penalty after an ensuing scrum.

With Sutter’s penalty over and the Canucks on a power play, Sedin made it 3-2, knocking home pass from brother Henrik. It was Daniel’s eighth goal in eight games and his 21st of the season.

Nashville tied things at 3-3 with 2:15 left in regulation. Ryan Ellis ripped home a point shot off a pass from P.K. Subban and it deflected in past Markstrom.

Nashville outshot the Canucks 13-6 in the final period, for a 41-27 advantage in regulation.

Jarnkrok scored the winner, his 16th of the year, on the only shot in OT, hopping around Vancouver Sam Gagner and beating Markstrom high to the blocker side.

NOTES:

VANCOUVER: The game marked the 200th in the career of Hutton… The Canucks are 3-9-2 in their last 14 outings… Vancouver’s Loui Eriksson will miss the remainder of the season after cracking a rib against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday… Sven Baertschi suffered a shoulder injury in the second period and didn’t return… Edler finished with two points, giving him 326 career points, surpassing Mattias Ohlund atop the team’s all-time scoring list for blue-liners… Horvat has 10 points in his last 10 games.

NASHVILLE: The Predators rested No. 1 goalie Pekka Rinne and defenceman Roman Josi, who has 12 points in his last six outings… Subban blocked a shot in the second period and appeared injured, also leaving briefly in the third, but returned for the rest of the game.



Philip Wolf

About the Author: Philip Wolf

I’ve been involved with journalism on Vancouver Island for more than 30 years, beginning as a teenage holiday fill-in at the old Cowichan News Leader.
Read more