Canucks blow third-period lead in Game 5 loss to Predators
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No third-period lead is safe, especially in this series.
For the third time in five games, the team that led in the third period ultimately coughed up the lead and lost.
Despite ushering two third-period comebacks in these playoffs, this time it was the Vancouver Canucks who coughed up a late lead.
Nikita Zadorov nearly played hero, scoring the game’s first goal 3:11 into the third period. However, Roman Josi tied the game four minutes later and Alexandre Carrier scored the go-ahead goal with under eight minutes remaining in the game. That was enough for the Nashville Predators to hang onto a 2-1 win, cutting the Canucks series lead to 3-2.
“We’ll have a lot of fun tomorrow on the flight,” Josi told Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy postgame.
Zadorov’s big night spoiled
This was nearly Zadorov’s night.
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound defenceman has been a physical menace in this series. He had four hits in this game, including one on Ryan McDonagh that sent the Canucks crowd into a frenzy.
Zadorov is so exciting to watch. What an exciting exit from the penalty box. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/BiwmuxEUqT
— Trent Leith 🏳️🌈 (@trentl14) May 1, 2024
Then, during a scoreless game early in the third period, Zadorov went end-to-end and fooled Predators goaltender Juuse Saros with a shot just a few feet from the goal line.
Nikita Zadorov hero mode pic.twitter.com/OLr026qZvL
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 1, 2024
Unfortunately, two Predators defencemen ripped away the hero spotlight from Zadorov.
Josi tied the game for Nashville on the power play. It was just their second man advantage goal in 19 opportunities so far this series (10.5%).
This will probably go down as one of Josi’s uglier goals. He got credit despite the fact that Gustav Nyquist pushed Canucks netminder Arturs Silovs into the net.
They give this goal to Roman Josi. Looks like Silovs and maybe a defender trying to clear out Nyquist from the crease caused it to go in.
Tie game. pic.twitter.com/qIfYuFJIGi
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) May 1, 2024
“Yeah,” Silovs answered after the game when asked if he thought he was pushed into the net. “I didn’t see who but I felt like someone just ran into me.”
Tocchet thought about challenging it, but decided not to.
“It’s a 50/50,” the Canucks bench boss said following the loss. “If we’re down 2-1, maybe, but it’s a 50/50. I don’t know what the NHL would do on that one.”
Shortly thereafter, Carrier would score the game-winner with 7:14 remaining, on a seemingly harmless point shot that found its way through traffic.
Alexandre Carrier lets one fly to give the Predators their first lead of the night. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/LaCddqfWD4
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 1, 2024
Just like that, the plans to anoint a status of Zadorov in Vancouver have been put on hold.
“I felt like we should have won that game,” the big Russian told reporters postgame.
Zadorov also voiced frustration when asked about a play in the second period, where he was called for cross-checking on Filip Forsberg. The Preds star Swede went down on the play clutching his back, but he was right back out there for the start of the power play.
Filip Forsberg on the Nikita Zadorov cross-check #Canucks pic.twitter.com/1LTeA1pzLQ
— Tyson Cole (@SpittinPicklets) May 1, 2024
“It’s NHL playoffs, every person on the ice should be sharp, not just the players,” Zadorov said, who was also critical of a boarding call against Dakota Joshua that occurred right before Josi’s game-tying goal.
“You gotta protect yourself and it’s a men’s league. I’m trying not to be fined $25,000 here but everybody saw it.”
Miller, Tocchet critique Canucks’ power play
The Canucks’ play with the man advantage was the reason why they won on the road.
They went 2-for-3 on the power play in Game 3, while killing off all five of Nashville’s penalties. In Game 4, the Canucks pulled off the improbable thanks to two goals scored while up an extra attacker with the goalie pulled.
That killer instinct was non-existent for the Canucks in Game 5.
“Our power play was awful,” J.T. Miller said. “We need to take a look as a group in the mirror here. It can’t just be every other game we decide to play well. We could have been a factor in the game and we weren’t.”
When asked what exactly went wrong, Miller’s answer was short.
“We’re not coming with speed,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”
“I thought our power play kind of took the life out of the building a little bit.”
Tocchet sided with Miller when asked about the power play.
“The execution wasn’t good. You know, we gotta make a play under pressure and sometimes, you just take what’s given. I don’t know what we’re doing, we’re throwing the puck in the middle.”
“It’s learning lessons in the playoffs, man. Under pressure, you gotta be able to make those plays.”
While the power play isn’t solely to blame, the fact that the Canucks lost the special teams battle in Game 5 means that they’ll have to fly nearly 8,000 kilometres back to Nashville.
“We certainly didn’t think, coming into the series, that it was going to be a five gamer,” Miller said.” We expected it to be a long series.”
This one will go at least six games, as Game 6 takes place back at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Friday, May 3.
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