Canucks 4, Predators 2: Fans gave energy, players gave performance

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There truly is nothing like playoff hockey and after nine years of waiting, Vancouver Canucks fans got a full dose of it Sunday night at Rogers Arena.

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The hometown faithful were loud and proud all night, from before the first faceoff to the final whistle and their energy was infectious.

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The Vancouver Canucks won the opening game of this first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Nashville Predators 4-2 and there’s little doubt the fans played a huge part.

Even when their heroes fell behind, first 1-0 and then 2-1, the fans never stopped making noise.

And the Canucks never lost contact of what they needed to do.

A thrilling third-period saw the Canucks take a deserved win.

The raucous fans came to see big hits and big goals and they got a full dose of it.

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Miller magic

J.T. Miller’s line had been electric all game.

They were hard on the forecheck, creating opportunities galore.

Before his line picked up the tying goal — a great shot from the point by Quinn Hughes — Miller was plus-18 in shot attempts.

His line was absolutely dominating and it was no surprise they managed to finally tie the game.

NEXT GAME

Tuesday

Game 2: Nashville Predators vs. Vancouver Canucks

7 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: SN Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650

That’s more like it

And just seconds later, it was more dominating forechecking.

This time by, who else, the third line. Elias Lindholm proved to be a playoff performer.

He was the first forechecker, creating a turnover and then Conor Garland, who else, got the puck into the perfect spot for Dakota Joshua.

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Joshua knows he has to keep his stick on the ice when Garland has the puck.

He made no mistake of his chance.

The two goals were 12-seconds apart, setting a new Canucks team playoff record.

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BOOM

The pre-game was electric, as the Canucks game entertainment crew pulled out all the stops.

It wasn’t just bringing back U2.

It was about a fabulous pre-game video edit, pulling together great moments from team playoff history. A building crescendo that drew the fans in and finished with Kickstart My Heart that had the fans roaring by the time it finished.

There was a calming pause, a run through Mozart’s Requiem with the strains of U2 finally arrived.

And the crowd went wild.

Hit the net

The Canucks missed the net nine times in the first period.

They were off trying to set up off-net tips, so you could understand some of the premise, but there were just too many sailing high and wide. They became turnovers as a result and it was no surprise so much of the period was played at a Nashville-friendly pace.

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It wasn’t a huge surprise to see the first two chances of the second period for the Canucks feature shots dead on the net.

First there was a slot-chance for Pius Suter, who made Juuse Saros work to make the save.

Then there was Lindholm’s goal.

It wasn’t a tricky shot or anything, but it was Wayne Gretzky’s point, defined.

That goal doesn’t happen if you don’t take the shot.

Misread?

Nashville’s first goal was all because a momentary defensive pause allowed Jason Zucker enough space to tee up a perfect seeing-eye shot off the side boards.

Elias Pettersson had been thrown out of the faceoff and Sam Lafferty took the draw. Pettersson was lined up on the right wing and after Lafferty won the faceoff, Pettersson stayed in the slot while Lafferty pursued to the point.

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Did Lafferty cross the wires? He’s the centre, was he meant to stay in his spot and Pettersson chase the point?

Either way, there was a moment of hesitation on Pettersson’s part and Zucker had the time to let his teammates set up a double screen of Demko and he picked the perfect hole to shot at.

Demko never saw it.

Special teams

Penalties go up for the first four games of the playoffs.

You know you’re going to get your looks.

Your power play needs to make a difference.

Nashville took a 2-1 second period lead because of their power play. For a time it looked like it would make a difference, especially in contrast to the Canucks’ lack of production up a man.

Go long

Did you notice how Nashville always sent a forward to the far blue line on their breakouts?

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The intention was obvious: stretch the Canucks’ neutral zone defence to the max.

Now, the Canucks’ forecheck did do a pretty good job of heaping pressure, often bottling up the Predators in their own end.

But Nashville made it work enough that it was worth them trying to stretch everything.

‘Shroom

The Canucks did a good job keeping the energy up and as always, using clips of local celebs urging the fans on.

Michael Bublé is a regular feature on the scoreboard at Canucks game.

This night, there was a bit of an Easter egg: they put him up with a Super Mario Block, which revealed a mushroom.

If you’ve been paying attention, you know what that’s a reference to.

The fans in the crowd mostly missed the joke.

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