Nashville Predators blow late lead, defeat Vancouver Canucks in shootout
The Nashville Predators looked to have victory in hand Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Up by two goals, Nashville allowed goals to Conor Garland and Andrei Kuzmenko during a 23-second span in the closing 1 minute, 7 seconds of regulation of what turned out to be a 5-4 shootout win at Bridgestone Arena.
Cole Smith put the home team ahead 1-0 with 15 minutes, 22 seconds remaining in the first period, which resulted in a power play after Vancouver unsuccessfully challenged for offside. Nashville wasn’t able to make good, though, against the league’s worst penalty kill.
Philip Tomasino made good on a power play with 12:03 left in the second. His first goal of the season made it 2-0 Predators.
Christian Wolanin cut the lead to 2-1 with 7:13 remaining in the second.
Sheldon Dries tied the score 2-2 with a power-play goal with 22 seconds left in the second.
Twelve seconds later, Nino Niederreiter’s goal gave the home team the lead again. Mikeal Granlund put the Predators up by two.
Ryan Johansen left the game with just under three minutes left in the second. He had to be helped down the tunnel after dropping his gloves and stick on the ice.
The Predators were coming off a loss in the waning seconds Sunday against the Minnesota Wild in a Central Division matchup.
Predators forward Filip Forsberg missed his fourth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. There is no timetable for his return but he is skating.
Former Predators captain Mike Fisher learned Tuesday he will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame this summer.
The Predators are 27-22-6. The Canucks are 22-31-4.
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Live updates: Nashville Predators score vs. Vancouver Canucks
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Live updates: Nashville Predators score vs. Vancouver Canucks
