Canucks 4, Predators 3 (OT): Brock Boeser the saviour, Elias Lindholm the hero – The Province

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It was looking like a failed shot at victory because of a lack of shots.

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It was looking like a hard-luck outing for Arturs Silovs, who was left defenceless on an odd-man rush goal and saw deflections off a stick and a skate get by him during a strong 27-save performance.

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However, just two shots in the first 15 minutes of the third period Sunday in Nashville looked like the difference. And just 17 overall as the Canucks approached a critical crunch time was going to be the story of a setback to the Predators in Music City.

The series was supposedly going back to Vancouver even at two wins apiece. And then it happened. And again in overtime.

With Silovs pulled for an extra attacker, Brock Boeser scored his second goal of the game at 17:11 to make it 3-2 and provide a sliver of hope.

And with Silovs pulled again, the Canucks winger got to his own rebound from the side of the net with just eight seconds remaining and scored from behind the goal-line to draw his club even.

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NEXT GAME

Canucks vs. Predators

When/Where: Tuesday, 7 p.m., Rogers Arena
TV: SN Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet650

His first career playoff hat-trick brought overtime. And just 1:01 into the extra session, Elias Lindholm was left alone in the slot. He took a sweet Conor Garland feed to secure a stunning 4-3 victory.

“We’ve had a few scenarios this season where we’ve gotten some 6-on-5 goals,” said Boeser. “We kind of know the looks that we want. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t. Luckily, they went in tonight.”

And that allowed Lindholm to play hero.

“I got into the O-zone and Garland found me with a nice pass,” he said. “Scoring one like this, it’s always a nice feeling. We didn’t play our best game, but when we needed a stop Silovs was there.”

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And so was Boeser when the needed two big goals.

“There have been times this year where we’ve shown a lot of character,”  added Boeser. “That’s prepared us for this moment. I think the message is you can’t give up until the final horn, and we didn’t give up there.

“We continued to battle back and we felt that momentum shift once we tied it up. We were feeling really good going into overtime.”

The Canucks have managed just 71 shots through four series games — which is a historic low in the opening round of the playoffs — yet they found a way Sunday. It was a testament to the belief system that has been there all season.

“That was a pretty special moment for our group,” said Canucks centre J.T. Miller. “Especially with them outplaying us for a heavy portion of the game. We’ve shown a lot of no-quit all year and to see Brock and the team get rewarded, we feel really good.

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“We have strap them (skates) on a little tighter for the next one. We have elevate our game. We need to be a hell of a lot better than we were today.”

Sustainability and resilience were calling cards to get the Canucks to the playoffs. Now that mantra is being put to the ultimate test. Boeser responded with the sixth postseason hat-trick in Canucks history and just the third game-tying goal with less than 10 seconds left in the third.

“You’ve got to take the positives, but we’ve got some work to do obviously,” said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet. “We’re not moving our feet and losing some battles. We’ve got to get some guys in the fight.”

Here’s what else we learned as Mark Jankowski, Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators while J.T. Miller had the other goal for the Canucks:

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Latvian laps up tough challenge

‘No Stranger To Danger.’

Silovs could have that slogan emblazoned on a t-shirt.

The lanky, fun-loving Latvian backstopped his native county to world championship bronze last May by beating the U.S. and Casey DeSmith in overtime. He was also named the event’s most valuable player.

On Sunday, he was summoned to the big stage in Nashville.

With DeSmith sustaining a minor ailment late in Game 3 after backstopping a 2-1 victory over the Predators to provide a 2-1 series lead, the drama in Music City shifted to the next big thing on the entertainment horizon.

Not sure if the 6-foot-4 Silovs can sing, but the 23-year-old made some sweet music in the crease and kept his club within striking range.

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The recalled Nikita Tolopilo had the best seat in the house to watch Silovs. He was the back-up, while DeSmith served as designated EBUG (emergency back-up), which is a good injury sign.

A bad sign was the Canucks once again off their regular-season shot pace with just 20 shots.

So was Elias Pettersson still looking hesitant and reluctant to play to his normal strengths by passing on shots and putting pucks into skates. He had no shots and no attempts.

Silovs gave them a chance

He was good early and often.

The only shots that beat Silovs were a deft deflection of a point shot by Jankowski, a 2-on-1 break where Nikita Zadorov backed up in the slot and let his stopper deal with Nyquist, who picked short side.

And then a deflection off the skate of Forsberg 12 seconds into the third period. It was looking like that kind of day.

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Silovs started with a one-timer save off Dante Fabbro and held his ground as Michael McCarron crashed his crease. In the second period, he stared down Kiefer Sherwood and stayed strong in another crease mosh-pit.

And with the Canucks trailing 2-1, he made a shorthanded save off Sherwood on a 2-on-1 break before getting a glove on a quick snap shot by Anthony Beauvillier.

“I knew it was going to be a big game and impact the series dramatically,” Silovs said of his first post-season start and win. “I was ready to do my best. It’s a huge relief. It was a character win and what this team has shown so many times.

“The guys did an amazing job and I just leaned on my technique.”

Silovs took a 3-0-1 record, 2.47 goals-against average and .881 save percentage this NHL season into the Sunday showdown. He went 3-2-0 last season with a 2.75 GAA and .908 percentage.

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“Let the game come to you,” he told Postmedia earlier this season. “You don’t really have to be stressed out about it. Wait for the moment that you have worked for to see the puck and make the save.

“It’s a great opportunity to play at this level to show the world how you can play. Relax. Do your thing and use your instincts.”

Hughes really in playoff crosshairs

Star players get the star treatment in the post-season.

It’s not plaudits. It’s pain. And plenty of it.

At one point in the first period, Quinn Hughes was the meat in a big Predators checking sandwich. He was crunched hard and went to the bench doubled over in obvious discomfort. He missed his next shift before returning.

Hughes has absorbed more than a dozen hits in this series and it seems like a lot more.

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Time and space are always at a premium in the post-season. However, the Predators are getting through the neutral zone in numbers to physically corner Hughes so he can’t spin out of trouble and trigger the transition.

It’s one of the key adjustments the Canucks had to make going into Game 4. Not just to escape their zone quickly and use those long-up feeds from Hughes, but to keep their captain healthy.

Hughes gutted it out and had no shots on four attempts Sunday in 24:09 of ice time.

“They (Predators) are running him,” said Tocchet. “That’s playoff hockey and we have to help him out. But if we’re skating quicker and winning battles, they’re not going to have chances to hit. That will help Huggy. Nashville sends three at you. You get into trouble when you hold on to pucks too long.”

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The Connection quickly connects

Players talk about a good looks, good plans and a good feel.

Miller and Boeser had all of that early to answer the coach’s call for more effectiveness at even strength.

On a set play in the offensive zone off a face-off, Miller won the draw back to Carson Soucy and then moved from left to right to his designated spot in the high slot. He knew where an untouched Boeser was situated at the far sideboards.

Miller then quickly whipped a cross-ice feed and Boeser unleashed a perfect wrister in one motion that packed velocity and accuracy to open scoring before three minutes elapsed.

You couldn’t have draw it up any better. It also marks the 13th this season the Canucks struck on they first shot, which leads the league. Boeser finished with eight shots and 12 attempts.

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OVERTIME — DeSmith practised Saturday and Tocchet said he was prepared to go Sunday, but the club wanted to take the safe route. Tocchet admitted DeSmith is an option for Game 5, but there’s confidence with Silovs. “The prudent thing is to get Casey healthy.” The Canucks got a scare in the first period when a puck deflected off the blade of Tylers Myers’ stick and struck him in the visor. He fell to the ice but got back up and carried on.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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