Recap: Vintage Henrik Scores in Win Against Preds

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Willie Desjardins’ Vancouver Canucks finally got back in the win column on Tuesday night. They won a close, tight-checking, 1-0 game against the Nashville Predators, a style that Desjardins has been using for this team all season.

It’s not exciting, but it’s efficient. It led to Desjardins’ picking up his 100th career victory tonight. Many thought he would have joined Gerard Gallant and Jack Capuano in the firing line by now, but he’s managed to get this team back into the playoff race.

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However, this night was more about two guys on the ice. Henrik Sedin continues his chase for 1,000 points, and he got one point closer with the game’s only goal. It’s an encouraging sign for the Vancouver Canucks that the Sedins’ and Loui Eriksson have started to look like a cohesive unit over the last couple of games.

Ryan Miller has also continued his torrid pace since the Christmas break. He recorded his second shutout of the season and has now gone 6-0-2 over his last eight games. With the win, the Canucks now leapfrog the Predators and sit tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

First Period

Poor Derek Grant.

The Abbotsford native has played in 78 NHL games without finding that elusive first goal. He appeared to have it when the Canucks let the Predators jam away at the side of the net endlessly until the puck squirted across the goal line. Grant celebrated with his teammates, but Ryan Miller’s angry tirade led to a lengthy review. Eventually, the goal was disallowed because the referee intended to blow the whistle.

It was a bizarre call with an unnecessarily long review. The replay didn’t show conclusively that Miller ever held onto the puck. Regardless, the Canucks never should have let the Predators bang away at the net for so long. Strength is not the Canucks’ forte, and it showed on this play. Shots were 11-10 Nashville at the end of the first period.

Second Period

Henrik Sedin had points 999 and 1,000 go off of his stick in the second period, only to Daniel Sedin and Loui Eriksson fail to find the back of the net. The elder Sedin set up both players on separate two on one’s, but neither player was able to convert.

It was also a good period for Bo Horvat’s line, who had multiple chances to find the back of the net. Horvat was flying on the line’s first shift of the period, but nobody on his line was able to find the back of the net.

Another Canuck who had a great game was Nikita Tryamkin.

The six foot seven Tryamkin has been one of the best Canucks stories this season, but his game has lacked physicality. That changed as this game got a bit chippy later in the second period. Tryamkin laid out the body a couple times in the frame, highlighted by this hit on Harry Zolniercyzk.

Third Period

This tight-checking game looked like it was headed to a shootout scoreless, but the Canucks captain had other plans. After Luca Sbisa fired a one-timer wide, Henrik Sedin retrieved the puck at the side of the net and banked it in the net off of an unsuspecting Rinne.

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The Sedins and Eriksson had another great chance to get Henrik Sedin to 1,000 points but failed to convert on a late third-period chance. The Predators put some pressure on at the end of the game, but Miller was able to hang on for the 1-0 shutout.

Scoring Summary

FIRST PERIOD

No Scoring.

SECOND PERIOD

No Scoring.

THIRD PERIOD

Henrik Sedin (10) assisted by Luca Sbisa (9) and Loui Eriksson (11)

THW Three Stars

1) Ryan Miller (30 saves, SO)

2) Henrik Sedin ( GWG, 999th career point)

3) Pekka Rinne ( 25 saves)

NEXT UP

Nashville Predators at Calgary Flames

Scotiabank Saddledome, 8:00 PM CST on Thursday, January 19.

Broadcast Channels: SNW, FS-TN

Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks

Rogers Arena, 7:00 PM PST on Friday, January 20.

Broadcast Channels: SNP, FS-F