Predators 4, Canucks 1: Goaltending not the problem

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It was supposed to be about the goaltending challenge.

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It turned into concern about everything else as the air went out of the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff ballon on Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

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Casey DeSmith supplanting Thatcher Demko, who was injured late in Game 1 on Sunday, was not the story in a disturbing 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators to even the best-of-seven, opening-round series at one game apiece. 

There was another power failure on the predictable and ineffective power play that went 0-for-4 and mustered but two shots. That’s 0-for-6 and five shots in the first two games and it’s the No. 1 problem as the series heads to Nashville for Game 3 on Friday.

An unnerving desire to set up the perfect shot was also hampered when a hesitant Elias Pettersson passed up opportunities.

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There was also a failure to defend down low with a physical presence or positioning. There was a failure to get shots through with the Predators blocking 35 shots and the Canucks missing the net 31 times didn’t help.

Add an inability to consistently win puck battles, and often being a step behind the play, and you get what you deserve.

The Canucks did have chances to close the gap in the third period, but Pius Suter fumbled a feed at side of the net and then tried a failed wraparound attempt. And Dakota Joshua couldn’t find the handle on a loose puck down low.

The Lotto Line was even deployed and Brock Boeser had a glorious chance in the slot.

Here’s what we learned as Anthony Beauvillier, Filip Forsberg, Colton Sissons and Kiefer Sherwood with the empty-netter scored for the Predators while Nikita Zadorov replied for the Canucks:

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Rough start, no help for DeSmith

Casey DeSmith put his plight as an NHL backup goaltender in perfect perspective.

“I have to make the saves I’m supposed to make and a couple I’m not supposed to,” the Canucks amiable backup goaltender told Postmedia. “Give the team a chance and not have it feel like it’s a letdown when I do go in.”

DeSmith had to back up his mantra in the biggest way in just his second NHL playoff start. He could have used some early assistance.

The crowd had just started chanting ‘Let’s Go Casey’ when Beauvillier struck against his former club. He got position on Filip Hronek in the slot and deflected a shot that changed direction and trickled across the goal line at the 1:14 mark with Quinn Hughes trying to tie up Ryan O’Reilly.

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It was up to DeSmith to gather himself, but less than six minutes later, the Canucks couldn’t clear the zone and Forsberg was allowed to pick the top corner at top of the crease with Noah Juulsen in late pursuit.

And then it got uglier.

Sissons was allowed to deposit a Beauvillier rebound with Pettersson in backchecking pursuit and Ian Cole and Hughes late in retreat.

However, DeSmith foiled Michael McCarron off a 2-on-1 short-handed break to keep the Predators from adding to a 3-1 lead.

Pettersson feeling the pressure

The plan made sense.

Replace Sam Lafferty with Ilya Mikheyev on Pettersson’s right side. Lafferty is a banger, but Mikheyev can get to pucks at even strength and also get them to Pettersson. However, nobody expected the Swedish centre to struggle to such a degree — especially on the power play.

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Yes, there is the big contract extension and big expectations, but there were also big chances. However, he was double-clutching and hesitant and not playing on instinct in the first period.

Pettersson passed up a power play cross-ice feed from J.T. Miller and didn’t unload from a great down low angle. Instead, he tried to thread a pass to Conor Garland in a crease mosh-pit.

Then, on another power play, it was Hughes finding Pettersson and this time he put a power play wrist shot offside of the net with half an open cage starting at him. 

To his credit, he drew a late penalty in the opening period, but it was far from enough.

Zadorov with bench stare down

You have to love Zadorov because you’re never quite sure what he’s going to do.

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The hulking Russian defenceman might take a penalty, he might get stripped of the puck on a dash through the neutral zone and he might drill the opposition forward into the sideboards.

He had four hits, but he also gave the Canucks some life late in the second period. After Lafferty slid a backhand deke wide on a bolt to the net, Zadorov picked the short side from the point with Lafferty setting the screen.

Zadorov the did the slow stare down of the Predators’ bench and he slowly skated by. It should have been a spark to ignite the comeback, but it wasn’t.

OVERTIME — Defenceman Tyler Myers is nursing something and didn’t dress Tuesday. He was replaced by Juulsen, who had a tough introduction to his first NHL post-season game. The Surrey native took an interference minor in the first period and slashing infraction in the second.

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NEXT GAME

Game 3: Friday

Nashville Predators vs. Vancouver Canucks

4:30 p.m., Bridgestone Arena, TV: SN Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650

Read more of our Canucks playoff coverage:

• Canucks vs. Predators Game Day: Building off incredible buzz, Elias Lindholm’s playoff arrival
• Shame? Unlike Oilers and Leafs, there are no public Canucks viewing parties scheduled
• ‘Moments you live for’: Canucks fans’ energy, noise and towels making a big impression on the ice
• Canucks anthem singer Elizabeth Irving says O Canada for Game 1 was a “goosebumpy moment”
• Canucks coach Rick Tocchet needs perplexing power play in prime playoff attack mode
• Dakota Joshua ’getting better and better’ for the Canucks
• Canucks vs. Predators Game 1: How the goals were scored
• We are all Canucks: Even the Lions guarding the Lions Gate Bridge

GET YOUR CANUCKS PLAYOFF POSTERS: We are proud to partner with the Vancouver Canucks to bring you this year’s edition of the longtime Province tradition, the Canucks Playoff Poster series. CLICK HERE to get a new player poster emailed to you every game day!

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