Three takeaways from Canucks satisfying 3-1 win over Nashville Predators

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their five-game road trip in Music City as they beat the Nashville Predators 3-1.

It was a good game to watch and both teams put their foot on the gas pedal for the entire game. The Canucks did give up the first goal which was unfortunately on the penalty kill. That was the fourth power play goal they have given up in three games.

Philip Tomasino’s shot went past a screened Thatcher Demko.

Special teams were a story throughout the Canucks road trip, particularly the power play. However, the power play woke up with two goals from Elias Pettersson in Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. The power play went 1/5 in Nashville as Brock Boeser redirected J.T. Miller’s shot early in the third period.

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With the win, Vancouver’s record is now 18-18-3 with 39 points and they have passed the Edmonton Oilers in the standings. The Oilers have lost six straight games. The Canucks are five points behind the San Jose Sharks for the final wild-card spot.

On Tuesday morning, it was announced that Bo Horvat had entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. He joins Jaroslav Halak and Conor Garland. So the Canucks will be without Horvat for at least five days.

Vancouver finished their road trip with a 2-3-0 record. That is not too bad considering the opponents they faced. Getting two wins after three tough losses is also big.

“Coming back in the last two games, especially when you’re missing some key components to your team, it was a big win,” said Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau.

Here are three takeaways from the Canucks 3-1 win in Nashville.

#1: The line of Elias Pettersson, Nils Höglander and Vasily Podkolzin impress

Pettersson got two goals in Washington D.C. and that must have been a huge relief for him.

Canucks fans were hopeful that the two goals were the start of him getting out of his funk. Fortunately, Pettersson had more to deliver in Nashville.

Demko made a stretch pass to Nils Höglander who then found Vasily Podkolzin skating down the ice. His shot was stopped by David Rittich but Pettersson put in the rebound for his third goal in two games. Maybe, just maybe, Pettersson is back. He’s giving that John Wick energy. We shall see if his scoring streak continues.

Pettersson is starting to look more confident. He is more noticeable out there and his passing was very good against the Predators. Pettersson doing his dekes again and isn’t losing the puck as much as before.

“I think everyone can see now the confidence with the puck,” said Boeser on Pettersson per Harman Dayal of The Athletic. “That’s the Petey we all know and love.”

I could be wrong, but this was the first time this season Höglander, Pettersson and Podkolzin were put on a line together. They did really well in the game.

After Pettersson’s game-tying goal, they look like they wanted more. They had a very good shift in the Predators zone where they were moving the puck well, winning battles and getting more high danger scoring chances. Pettersson almost got his second but he hit the crossbar.

The line showed great energy and hustle all game. According to NaturalStatTrick, the line of Höglander, Pettersson and Podkolzin had a Corsi For percentage of 75% together. Höglander led the team in Corsi For with 73.68%.

Boudreau had some interesting words on Höglander on Tuesday morning.

“He needs to learn how to play the game,” said Boudreau per Jeff Paterson of the Rink Wide Podcast. “He has skill and he might score 40 someday, but if you’re going to hover around the 20-goal mark you better learn to play at both ends of the ice.”

Höglander was on the ice for only three shots against and that was the least among Canucks forwards tied with Podkolzin. Höglander’s line spent a lot of time in the offensive zone and you can’t be bad at defence if you spend a lot of time there instead of the defensive zone.

Pettersson, Podkolzin and Höglander should probably stay together for now.

#2: The fourth line provides scoring once again

The Canucks fourth line consisting of Matthew Highmore, Juho Lammikko and Tyler Motte has impressed during the road trip. They have provided depth scoring for the Canucks and Boudreau has liked them so much he has decided to play them more so it seems they are the third line now.

Once again, the fourth line got on the scoreboard. Motte couldn’t take the pass but he goes after the puck with the strong forecheck and then he centres it to Lammikko. Somehow, the puck went past Rittich. That is Lammikko’s third goal of the season.

Motte, Lammikko and Highmore did have a good game though not as good as the two games in Florida but they still were good. This line has been at winning puck battles and on the forecheck and they displayed some of that in Nashville.

It is also nice to see the fourth line provide some scoring. In fact, Motte is the Canucks leading scorer on the road trip.

The fourth line doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.