Filip Forsberg scored two goals as the Nashville Predators entered the NHL All-Star break by defeating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Ryan Johansen and Tanner Jeannot also scored for the Predators, who are 4-0-1 in their past five games. Goaltender Juuse Saros, who will play for the Central Division during All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, made 30 saves.
Matthew Highmore and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for the Canucks, who went 2-1-1 on their four-game trip, including a 3-1 victory on Monday in Chicago. Pacific Division All-Star Thatcher Demko made 24 saves.
Forsberg put Nashville ahead 3-2 by scoring a power-play goal at 3:12 of the second period. He took a pass from Roman Josi and beat Demko with a one-timer from the top of the left faceoff circle for his team-high 24th of the season.
Jeannot made it 4-2 at 1:28 of the third, corralling the rebound of Mattias Ekholm's shot from the left point and lifting a backhander over Demko. It was Jeannot's 14th goal of the season, the most among NHL rookies.
The Canucks took a 1-0 lead when Highmore scored on a 2-on-1 break following a Nashville turnover in the neutral zone. Juho Lammikko tracked down the puck along the right-wing boards and fed Highmore, who was alone in front. He beat Saros to the glove side for his second of the season.
Johansen tied it at 14:22 with his 13th of the season, taking a pass from Michael McCarron and skating alone down the right wing before his shot from the circle beat Demko and caught the upper right corner.
Forsberg made it 2-1 just 1:08 later, redirecting Philippe Myers' shot from the right post past Demko. But Ekman-Larsson tied it at 2-2 at 17:36, taking a pass on his backhand near the blue line and, in one motion, spinning to his forehand and beating Saros through a screen.
--Field Level Media
Vancouver | Nashville | |
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 | Points | Filip Forsberg 2 |
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 | Goals | Filip Forsberg 2 |
Brock Boeser 1 | Assists | Alexandre Carrier 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Filip Forsberg 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Thatcher Demko .857 | Save Percentage | Juuse Saros .938 |
Thatcher Demko 24 | Saves | Juuse Saros 30 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Vancouver | 32 | 2 | 0-2 | 2-3 | 6 | 20 |
Nashville | 28 | 4 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 4 | 31 |