Preds Win Streak Snapped

Nashville's six game winning streak came to an end Tuesday night as Alexandre Burrows' two goal night helped the Vancouver Canucks defeat the Predators 3-1.

Nashville entered the game with a six game win streak and in their last 10 games went 8-1-1. The Canucks came into Bridgestone Arena with an impressive eight game road victory streak and a 9-1-0 record in their past 10 games.
                                                                                                                    
                                    Burrows

After an intense first period, with plenty of chances going both ways, neither team was able to find the back of the net. This has been the story since both teams first met back in January. Neither team has generated any scoring in the first period when playing against each other. 

Shots on goal after the first:  Nashville-10  Vancouver-7

The scoring finally started 14:01 into the second when Sergei Kostitsyn took a shot from the slot that was deflected off of Jonathon Blum's stick in front of Roberto Luongo. The deflected puck found Mike Fisher's stick where he took a wrist shot that beat Luongo glove side.

Fisher knotted his 4th goal as a Predators and scored the lone goal of the night for Nashville. The goal was also the only one of the period where Vancouver outshot Nashville 11-5, given them 18 shots overall and the Predators 15. 

The Predators entered the third period with a 1-0 lead, but things changed 1:17 into the third when Burrows lit the lamp with a wrister to tie things up.

Henrick Sedin got his stick just under Martin Erat's to steal the puck in the corner where he passed it to his brother Daniel just behind the net. Daniel gave the puck back to Henrick who put it right on the tape of Burrows' for the goal. 

With a 1-1 tie and both clubs alternating in penalties, the tilt was in favor of either team when they were up a man. However, after five power play advantages each in the game, and two each in the third, neither team could capitalize on the opportunities. 

With under three minutes to play, and a standing ovation from the crowd in Smashville to energize the Preds players, the Preadtors looked to be back on top of things.

This changed instantly when Henrick got the puck away from a Nashville player again and passed the puck to Daniel at the blue line in their end. Daniel passed the puck up the middle to Burrows, who somehow got by Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, and took it in to Nashville's zone on a breakaway. 

Burrows' deked and put the puck passed Pekka Rinne with the backhand shot.


The Predators would not give up though.

In the dying minutes, Rinne skated to the bench as the extra attacker jumped out onto the ice for the Preds. Nashville applied some pressure early on with the extra man, but soon slipped up and the puck was taken away from Blake Geoffrion by Canucks' Aaron Rome.

Rome cleard the puck from beside his net rink wide and into the Predators empty net with nine seconds left in regulation. 



The Canucks outshot Nashville 14-2 in the third. Giving them a game total of 32 and Nashville 17. 

Tuesday nights win over Nashville clinched Vancouver to the #1 seed in the West. Nashville remains in 6th with 92pts.

The Predators continue their playoff push Thursday in Colorado where they take on the Avalanche.  Puck drops at 7 PM.