The Nashville Predators saw how quickly momentum can be lost in their playoff opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
Now, the onus is on the visiting Predators to retrieve it in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Tuesday in Vancouver.
The Predators were executing an excellent road game plan, holding a 2-1 lead near the midpoint of the third period, before they surrendered two goals 12 seconds apart en route to a 4-2 loss.
“The game was there for us,” veteran Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly said. “We had a couple of lapses and I’m sure a lot of guys want some shifts back. I know I do. I know I have a lot better. It is what it is, but we’ll move on and be fine.”
The Predators, the Western Conference’s top wild-card team, have seen a big part of the template necessary to draw even in the best-of-seven matchup.
“We were in it, for sure,” Nashville captain Roman Josi said. “They scored two quick ones, kind of got momentum and that’s how it goes in the playoffs. … But I think we have another level.”
After staking their 2-1 lead midway through the affair, including a goal on a power play, the Predators had a golden chance to extend their edge, but they failed to convert on three more man advantages before the Canucks drew even.
“(It) felt like we played a little slow there in the other power plays,” Josi said. “Couldn’t get much going, so that’s definitely something that needs to be better.”
Nashville has never won a seven-game series when losing Game 1, posting an 0-12 series record.
The Canucks, who rode a huge wave of emotion playing their first playoff game on home ice since 2015, are on the other end of the momentum pendulum. Now the key will be to maintain control of the series and their home-ice advantage.
More secondary scoring, which made the difference in the series opener, would help.
Although Vancouver’s stars had a hand in the victory, it was the third line that made the difference.
Dakota Joshua scored twice in a three-point game, while Elias Lindholm — who struggled after being acquired via trade in January, albeit because of a lingering injury — scored once and created one of Joshua’s goals with his forechecking skills.
“It’s a special moment. I’ll never forget it,” Joshua said of scoring his first playoff goal, which held up as the game-winning tally. “And it makes you want to keep doing it.”
As much as the Pacific Division champions can relish the victory, they are well aware improvements are necessary to build on it.
Perhaps it was a byproduct of the extra emotion, but the Canucks were guilty of too many penalties.
As well, Vancouver struggled to create offensive push until its quick-strike third-period tallies, and the Canucks were held to four shots on net in the first period.
“The way we played in the third, that’s the way we want to play,” Lindholm said. “There were shifts where we hemmed them in and spent a lot of time in the offensive zone. That’s our identity, and we can take it from there.”
An extra-motivated Predators squad necessitates improvement.
“Just expect a response, but I’m not going to wait for them to respond,” Canucks forward J.T. Miller said. “We should go at them again and go harder. We weren’t perfect by any means and we can be even better, which is great.”
–Field Level Media
