(SportsNetwork.com) – The Vancouver Canucks will try to stretch their winning
streak to five games in a row on Sunday evening as they play host to the
Nashville Predators.
The Canucks have already put together two solid streaks this season, winning
their first three games of the campaign before going on a 1-3-0 stretch.
However, Vancouver answered that rut with a perfect three-game homestand and
then picked up a 3-2 victory in Edmonton on Saturday night. Derek Dorsett
netted the game-winning goal in the third period and Ryan Miller posted 25
saves.
Dorsett, acquired from the New York Rangers in a trade this past offseason,
potted his first goal with the Canucks and it was short-handed as he picked
off a bad clearing attempt by Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens.
“Every goal is important. It’s exciting to get my first one as a Canuck,” said
Dorsett. “It just so happened to be a winner and shorthanded so that makes it
even better.”
Luca Sbisa and Linden Vey also scored to give Vancouver its longest winning
streak since a seven-game run from Dec. 1-14 of last season.
Nashville comes in having split the first two games of a six-game road trip.
The Predators opened the trek with a 4-1 win over Edmonton, but were bested
4-3 by the Calgary Flames on Friday.
The Flames scored three times in the third period, with Johnny Gaudreau’s
tally at 6:37 of the frame becoming the game winner after James Neal scored a
power-play goal for Nashville with 9:13 to play.
“Calgary came out strong, they capitalized on a couple plays,” said Nashville
head coach Peter Laviolette. “Johnny Gaudreau was good during the third
period. He was dangerous with the puck making things happen.”
Neal had two goals, giving him seven on the season, and Craig Smith also lit
the lamp. Pekka Rinne made 26 saves.
The Canucks have won five of six and eight of their last 11 meetings with the
Predators.
