Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko suffered a knee injury early in the series. His replacement, Casey Desmith, was also injured before today’s match. Therefore, “Canucks” had to play the third goalkeeper during one “play-off” series and the opportunity was Arthur Shilov.
This was Shilov’s debut in the Stanley Cup championship games. This season, he had played four regular-season NHL games for the Canucks without losing in regular time (three wins, one loss in overtime), and he managed to continue that streak last night as well.
Shilov stopped 27 of 30 shots, while the Canucks made only 20 shots on goal.
Teodor Blüger played 11:39 minutes, in which he used two power plays and received two penalty minutes for a double foul. He finished the game with a neutral utility rating.
“Canucks” did not play their best game and, although they took the lead in the third minute of the game, they trailed 1:2 at the beginning of the second period. Shilov scored the first goal after the puck changed its flight direction in front of the goal, but in the 26th minute, the Canucks fell into defense and Shilov was beaten on a quick two-on-one counterattack when Gustav Nykvist shot accurately.
The beginning of the third period was unsuccessful for Vancouver – already in the 12th second, Philip Fochbery made it 3:1. The Canucks defenders had left him completely alone at the far corner of the goal, and although Shilov saved the first shot from the other side, the puck ended up in front of the goal, where it bounced off the Swedish forward’s leg and into the goal.
“Predators” kept a two-goal advantage until the last minutes of regular time, when Shilov was replaced on time with an additional striker. This time the tactic proved successful as Brock Besser scored his second goal of the game in the 58th minute to make it 2-3.
The Predators then squandered a great opportunity to score an empty net goal, and the Canucks punished it by tying it up. It succeeded six seconds before the end of regular time, when Besser got the puck into the goal again, completing a “hat-trick” and 3:3.
Nashville never recovered from the upset after the break, and Elias Lindholm scored Vancouver’s winning goal in the 62nd second of overtime.
First round of the NHL playoffs
| Conference | A couple | 1. sp. | 2nd sp. | 3rd sp. | 4th sp. | 5th sp. | 6th sp. | 7th sp. | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Rangers [1.] – Capitals | 4:1 | 4:3 | 3:1 | 29.04. | 3-0 | |||
| Hurricanes – Islanders | 3:1 | 5:3 | 3:2 | 2:3 p.m. | 01.05. | 3-1 | |||
| Panthers – Lightning | 3:2 | 3:2 p. | 5:3 | 3:6 | 30.04. | 3-1 | |||
| Bruins – Maple Leafs | 5:1 | 2:3 | 4:2 | 3:1 | 01.05. | 3-1 | |||
| West | Ray [1.] – Golden Knights | 3:4 | 1:3 | 3:2 p. | 29.04. | 30.04. | 1-2 | ||
| Jets – Avalanche | 7:6 | 2:5 | 2:6 | 1:5 | 01.05. | 1-3 | |||
| Canucks – Predators | 4:2 | 1:4 | 2:1 | 4:3 p.m | 01.05. | 3-1 | |||
| Oilers – Kings | 7:4 | 4:5 p.m. | 6:1 | 29.04. | 2-1 |
Resources used:
Official Site of the National Hockey League |…
Tags: Shilov Stanley Cup debut Canucks dramatic comeback victory Hockey Sportacentrs .com
