Juuse Saros made 27 saves to post his fourth shutout of the season as the visiting Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on Friday.
Steven Stamkos broke the scoreless deadlock, and Gustav Nyquist and Colton Sisson’s both produced one goal and one assist for the Predators, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Saros earned his 27th career shutout as the struggling Predators finally picked up a victory in their fourth outing of a six-game road trip.
Kevin Lankinen took the net with Vancouver’s No. 1 goalie Thatcher Demko sidelined due to back spasms, and he stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced.
Vancouver, which also has top scorer Quinn Hughes, key forward Elias Pettersson and defenseman Filip Hronek sidelined due to injury, has managed only two wins in its past eight outings (2-3-3).
During an entertaining and intense goaltender battle, Stamkos finally opened the scoring at 16:53 of the second period. He buried a one-timer from the left faceoff dot set up by a give-and-go with Jonathan Marchessault. Stamkos has scored 19 goals in 22 career games vs. the Canucks.
Nyquist, who was earlier denied on a breakaway, added much-needed insurance with an empty-net goal with 1:44 remaining, his first goal in 19 games.
Sissons added another empty-netter in the final minute to round out the scoring.
Saros delivered a sparkling performance from the drop of the puck, stopping J.T. Miller’s first-period breakaway and protecting the lead with a key stop on Pius Suter’s blast midway through the third period.
The Canucks nearly opened the scoring early in the second period, but Teddy Blueger’s apparent tally was called back due to goaltender interference.
The Canucks, who failed to convert on any of their three power-play opportunities, have a middling 7-8-6 home record, with only two victories in their last six home clashes (2-2-2).
–Field Level Media