3 Keys: Canucks at Predators, Game 6 of Western 1st Round

Pettersson looks to help Vancouver advance; Nashville aims to keep composure, extend series

May 03, 2024

7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, BSSO, SN, TVAS, CBC

Vancouver leads best-of-7 series 3-2

NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators will try to extend their season one more game when they host the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round.

The Predators won 2-1 in Game 5 in Vancouver on Tuesday. Game 7, if necessary, will be at Rogers Arena on Sunday.

"This is exciting for us," Nashville center Ryan O'Reilly said. "That was a big win in Vancouver. We found a way. Guys' desperation was super high and it's good tonight. We're fighting for our lives. We've done good things in this building, just haven't had the results we need. We need to be confident here. I think seeing how the guys are, we are confident and we know we have a great chance to win this game and keep it going."

The Predators conducted a full morning skate Friday; the Canucks held an optional morning skate following a full practice Thursday.

"We had a good practice, a couple of guys were joking around," coach Rick Tocchet said. "I think guys are going to embrace this moment."

Teams that hold a 3-2 lead in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series are 348-93 (.789) all-time.

Here are 3 keys for Game 6:

Arturs Silovs was the first goalie off after Vancouver's morning skate, but Tocchet would not announce whether Silovs or Casey DeSmith would start Game 6.

Silovs has started the past two games, making 27 saves in a 4-3 overtime win in Game 4 and 20 saves in a 2-1 loss in Game 5.

DeSmith, who was the backup in Game 5 after missing Game 4 because of a lower-body injury, had started Games 2 and 3 after Thatcher Demko sustained an undisclosed injury during Game 1. DeSmith allowed four goals on 45 shots in his two starts.

"I think [Silovs] has played really well for us, just like Casey has played well," Tocchet said. "Goaltender has been a strong part for this organization all year. And it's something that we're getting good goaltending, and calmness, too. A lot of calmness."

Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said Vancouver's choice in goal doesn't affect his team.

"They've played really well," he said. "Give Vancouver credit, they defend well, arguably one of the best in the League. They don't give you a whole lot and their goaltenders, when they do, they've been there. ... It hasn't been that kind of a factor in the series here. Obviously Demko is maybe a different level than the other guys, but they've both been, in my opinion, really good."

Canucks vs. Predators | Game 6 tonight on TNT

Despite leading the series, Tocchet said he doesn't feel his team has played its optimal game.

"We've had some good periods but we haven't played our best Canucks hockey yet," he said. "And I think tonight is a game where each individual has to look themselves and say, 'I'm going to play well tonight, whatever I've got to do to play well,' and I think that's the mindset we're going to have tonight."

Getting that level of play from Elias Pettersson would go a long way. The center has two assists in five games and admits he got caught up in the emotion of playing his first Stanley Cup Playoff games in front of fans earlier in the series; his first NHL postseason experience was in the Edmonton bubble in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pettersson said he felt more like himself in Game 5 and is hoping to build on that in Game 6.

"I've been trying to be the best player I can be every game and it hasn't gone my way," he said. "They always have a guy on me on the power play. They always play me hard. They play hard against everyone, but obviously I'm going to have less time. But it's always up to me. Doesn't matter what they do, I've still got to come up with a way."

Though an elimination game is packed with stress, each coach felt his players were in the right mindset to handle the emotions of the moment.

"We're grateful for the leadership of this group and the hunger of those guys has really helped the whole group kind of maintain the emotions, maintain the composure in difficult times," Brunette said. "Especially after Game 4 [giving up a 3-1 lead in the final 2:49 of the third period], those obviously hurt. But we were able to rebound. Game 5 means nothing if you don't play tonight.

"This is a tremendous opportunity, it's going to be a lot of fun. Let's enjoy it. And let's just stick to us."

Tocchet said the jovial attitude his players showed at practice Thursday, including center J.T. Miller skating out wearing Silovs' dress shirt, told him all he needed to know about his group.

"I think guys are going to embrace this moment," he said. "Had some good talks with some players. This is what you play for. You can't dread it. Like 'Bruno' said about his team, they're going to embrace the pain. We're the same thing, but embrace the pressure.

"This is what you play for, right? You want that puck in a certain situation, you want to be on the ice ... there's going to be some points in the game where we're counting on this individual to get it done, whatever the play is, and I think that's what we play the game for. You want to be counted on."

NHL Tonight look ahead to Canucks and Predators

Pius Suter -- J.T. Miller -- Brock Boeser

Nils Hoglander -- Elias Pettersson -- Ilya Mikheyev

Dakota Joshua -- Elias Lindholm -- Conor Garland

Phillip Di Giuseppe -- Teddy Blueger -- Sam Lafferty

Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek

Carson Soucy -- Tyler Myers

Ian Cole -- Nikita Zadorov

Arturs Silovs

Casey DeSmith

Scratched: Mark Friedman, Nils Aman, Noah Juulsen, Vasily Podkolzin, Nikita Tolopilo

Injured: Thatcher Demko (undisclosed)

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Gustav Nyquist

Anthony Beauvillier -- Colton Sissons -- Jason Zucker

Mark Jankowski -- Tommy Novak -- Luke Evangelista

Cole Smith -- Michael McCarron -- Kiefer Sherwood

Roman Josi -- Dante Fabbro

Ryan McDonagh -- Tyson Barrie

Jeremy Lauzon -- Alexandre Carrier

Juuse Saros

Kevin Lankinen

Scratched: Luke Schenn, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Cody Glass, Gustavs Grigals, Juuso Parssinen, Kevin Gravel

Injured: Spencer Stastney (upper body)

The Canucks held an optional morning skate Friday. ... Silovs was the first goalie off the ice, but Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet did not name a starter. … Demko, who was injured during Game 1, skated Thursday and Tocchet said the goalie is progressing in his recovery, but there is no timeline for him to return. ... Predators coach Andrew Brunette said some lineup decisions will be made closer to game time. ... Schenn, a defenseman, participated in Nashville's morning skate Friday after missing Game 5 because of an illness. ... Smith did not participate in the morning skate.

NHL.com independent correspondent Robby Stanley contributed to this report