Predators 4, Canucks 1: Goaltending wasn't the problem, everything ...

It was supposed to be about the goaltending challenge.

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It turned into concern about everything else as the air went out of the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff ballon on Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

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Casey DeSmith supplanting Thatcher Demko, who was injured late in Game 1 on Sunday, was not the story in a disturbing 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. It evened the best-of-seven, opening-round series at one game apiece, but with Demko now out week-to-week after being further evaluated, there’s pressure on every facet of the club’s game.

There was another power failure on the predictable and ineffective power play that went 0-for-4 and mustered but two shots. That’s 0-for-6 and five shots in the first two games and it’s the No. 1 problem as the series heads to Nashville for Game 3 on Friday.

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An unnerving desire to set up the perfect shot was also hampered when a hesitant Elias Pettersson passed up two glorious opportunities in the first period.

“Petey is like the team — sometimes we’re not decisive,” said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet. “When you beat pressure and go downhill, we defer and try to throw a cross-ice pass. As for Petey, he’s a young kid and this is his first taste of pressure in the playoffs.

“It’s good for him. He’s got to learn. Dust himself off and be ready for Game 3. I want to see him shoot the puck and he’s got to take it.”

There was also a failure to defend down low with a physical presence or positioning. There was a failure to get shots through with the Predators blocking 32 shots and the Canucks missing the net 31 times didn’t help. What did J.T. Miller see?

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“A lot of yellow jerseys,” summed up the Canucks centre. “I was slap-passing because Ryan McDonough is in the way all the time. You’ve got to get layers at the net and find the sticks and it’s hard to do. We had those moments but it didn’t happened.

“If we don’t get off Canucks hockey, we can find goals if we stay with it. They will come.”

Nashville Predators’ Anthony Beauvillier (21) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Add an inability to consistently win puck battles, and often being a step behind the play, and you get what you deserve.

The Canucks did have chances to close the gap in the third period, but Pius Suter fumbled a feed at side of the net and then tried a failed wraparound attempt. And Dakota Joshua couldn’t find the handle on a loose puck down low.

The Lotto Line was even deployed and Brock Boeser had a glorious chance in the slot.

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“We’ve got to keep going and try to build on what we’re trying to do here,” said Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. “They’re a good team and we have to be realistic. They’re going to play well, too, and we had some good looks.”

Here’s what we learned as Anthony Beauvillier, Filip Forsberg, Colton Sissons and Kiefer Sherwood with the empty-netter scored for the Predators while Nikita Zadorov replied for the Canucks:

Rough start, no help for DeSmith

Casey DeSmith put his plight as an NHL backup goaltender in perfect perspective.

“I have to make the saves I’m supposed to make and a couple I’m not supposed to,” the Canucks amiable backup goaltender told Postmedia. “Give the team a chance and not have it feel like it’s a letdown when I do go in.”

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DeSmith had to back up his mantra in the biggest way in just his second NHL playoff start. He could have used some early assistance.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Casey DeSmith comes out of the net to play the puck during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

The crowd had just started chanting ‘Let’s Go Casey’ when Beauvillier struck against his former club. He got position on Filip Hronek in the slot and deflected a shot that changed direction and trickled across the goal line at the 1:14 mark with Hughes trying to tie up Ryan O’Reilly.

“I didn’t see the guy’s stick in the way and I was kind of moving over to the back-door guy,” said DeSmith. “It got tipped a little bit higher and a tough start. We played well enough to win.”

It was up to DeSmith to gather himself, but less than six minutes later, the Canucks couldn’t clear the zone and Forsberg was allowed to pick the top corner at top of the crease with Noah Juulsen in late pursuit.

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And then it got uglier.

Sissons was allowed to deposit a Beauvillier rebound with Pettersson in backchecking pursuit and Ian Cole and Hughes late in retreat.

However, DeSmith foiled Michael McCarron off a 2-on-1 short-handed break to keep the Predators from adding to a 3-1 lead.

“It’s fun to be out there,” said DeSmith. “It’s an incredible atmosphere and this city is behind us. I appreciate it.

Pettersson feeling the pressure

The plan made sense.

Replace Sam Lafferty with Ilya Mikheyev on Pettersson’s right side. Lafferty is a banger, but Mikheyev can get to pucks at even strength and also get them to Pettersson. However, nobody expected the Swedish centre to struggle to such a degree — especially on the power play.

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Yes, there is the big contract extension and big expectations, but there were also big chances. However, he was double-clutching and hesitant and not playing on instinct in the first period.

Pettersson passed up a power play cross-ice feed from Miller and didn’t unload from a great down low angle. Instead, he tried to thread a pass to Conor Garland in a crease mosh-pit.

Then, on another power play, it was Hughes finding Pettersson and this time he put a power play wrist shot off side of the net with half an open cage staring at him. His body language was one of utter frustration.

“I just knew I had an open net and the puck stood on high edge right away, but I’ve got to score,” said Pettersson, who had no shots, seven blocked and missed the net twice.

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To his credit, he drew a late penalty in the opening period, but it was far from enough. He was down on himself for being late on the back check on the third goal and for not contributing offensively.

“I put us in a bad spot with my mistake on that goal and that can’t happen,” added Petttersson. “If I score in the first, it’s a 1-1 game and maybe a different outlook. “We’re creating looks and chances, but I’m always my biggest critic. I take a lot of blame for this one.”

Said Tocchet of the power play: “We had three chances and if we score, it’s great. If you don’t people get frustrated and aren’t shooting. They were gimmies. And then the next guy wants to make a pretty play and it wobbles or a bad pass.”

Nashville Predators’ Cole Smith, front, and Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller collide during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSZadorov with bench stare down

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You have to love Zadorov because you’re never quite sure what he’s going to do.

The hulking Russian defenceman might take a penalty, he might get stripped of the puck on a dash through the neutral zone and he might drill the opposition forward into the sideboards.

He had four hits, but he also gave the Canucks some life late in the second period. After Lafferty slid a backhand deke wide on a bolt to the net, Zadorov picked the short side from the point with Lafferty setting the screen.

Zadorov the did the slow stare down of the Predators’ bench and he slowly skated by. It should have been a spark to ignite the comeback, but it wasn’t.

“Somebody chirped me right before the goal and I was trying to find the guy for sure,” said Zadorov, who couldn’t find the player or recall was the chip was.

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“They play with a huge desperation and are laying out for every puck and maybe we can learn from them. There’s no panic. We’re going to clean up some mistakes and we’ll be fine. I’m confident.”

Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov (91) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSDeSmith can carry the playoff mail

DeSmith’s only previous postseason performance was exhilarating and excruciating.

Two years ago, Pittsburgh Penguins starter Tristan Jarry was sidelined with a foot injury in a first-round series against the New York Rangers. 

DeSmith was often spectacular in the opener with a 48-save effort, but was injured in the second overtime period of what would be a 4-3 triple-overtime thriller. He logged 89:07 before succumbing to a core-muscle ailment that ended his season. 

Former Canucks back-up Louis Dominque mopped up and Evgeni Malkin got the winner in the sixth period.

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“I played that playoff game at Madison Square Garden, so it was nice to have a little experience coming into tonight,” recalled DeSmith, who’s now in for the long goaltending haul. “This place was super loud, just like MSG, and it was a lot of fun.

“I can’t say enough about the fans. Playing in a Canadian market for the first time, it’s definitely different in a good way. This city loves the Canucks and everyone in the room knows it and appreciates it.”

OVERTIME — Defenceman Tyler Myers has the flu and didn’t dress Tuesday. He was replaced by Juulsen, who had a tough introduction to his first NHL post-season game. The Surrey native took an interference minor in the first period and slashing infraction in the second.

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NEXT GAME

Game 3: Friday

Nashville Predators vs. Vancouver Canucks

4:30 p.m., Bridgestone Arena, TV: SN Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650

Read more of our Canucks playoff coverage:

• Canucks vs. Predators Game Day: Building off incredible buzz, Elias Lindholm’s playoff arrival • Shame? Unlike Oilers and Leafs, there are no public Canucks viewing parties scheduled • ‘Moments you live for’: Canucks fans’ energy, noise and towels making a big impression on the ice • Canucks anthem singer Elizabeth Irving says O Canada for Game 1 was a “goosebumpy moment” • Canucks coach Rick Tocchet needs perplexing power play in prime playoff attack mode • Dakota Joshua ’getting better and better’ for the Canucks • Canucks vs. Predators Game 1: How the goals were scored • We are all Canucks: Even the Lions guarding the Lions Gate Bridge

GET YOUR CANUCKS PLAYOFF POSTERS: We are proud to partner with the Vancouver Canucks to bring you this year’s edition of the longtime Province tradition, the Canucks Playoff Poster series. CLICK HERE to get a new player poster emailed to you every game day!

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