It’s always a game of survival in Music City.
Sports
Canucks 5, Predators 2: Fast start, quick strikes make for sweet music in Nashville
Two goals in a 31-second span of the first period and two more in 46 seconds of the second frame seal the deal
The same principle applied to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday in an impressive 5-2 victory over the Predators to improve to 2-0-1 on a four-game road trip.
They needed a fast start against the upstart Predators, who had won four straight, 13 of their last 16, and were 13-6-0 when scoring first. And getting to extra time would be precarious because the Predators are 5-0-0 in games that go beyond regulation with Filip Forsberg firing three goals in overtime.
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So, going for a sweep of the season series would require some resolve and some smarts.
Make an early hit. Get pucks in deep. Get a shot away. Anything to seize momentum.
J.T. Miller sounded like a prophet when he sent a warning salvo following the morning skate.
“It may not be pretty the first 10 minutes, but we have to move and be physical — do the things that we can control — stuff that’s contagious on the bench,” he said. “I have total confidence.”
The Canucks struck for a pair of first-period goals by Elias Pettersson and Nils Aman in a telling 31-second span that was about pace and persistence.
Two more goals by Nils Hoglander and Pius Suter in a 46-second span of the second period were about position and patience.
It allowed some breathing space on this road grind that has included back-to-back afternoon games to zap energy and normal game preparations.
“A lot of hockey before Christmas,” added Miller. “It’s a mental thing. You have to engage yourself to get uncomfortable if you’re not quite feeling it.”
Pettersson was feeling it after a club day off Monday and had two points, six shots and eight attempts.
In the second period, he went across the top of the crease and slipped a backhander that went under goalie Juuse Saros and off the outside of the post that would have given the Canucks a three-goal bulge. In the end, it didn’t matter.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet applauded his club’s commitment to being ready to play.
“We were really connected and I liked our breakouts,” he said. “Each line did something and I just liked our overall game. We were really good tonight. Our leadership group was solid and just one of those good games for us and really proud of our defensive game.”
Here’s what else we learned as the Canucks improved to 22-9-2:
Smart start triggers the tempo
Even before they lit the lamp twice in short order, the Canucks came to play.
There was a heavy Dakota Joshua hit in the corner boards, a Grade A chance for Brock Boeser, and Suter going flat out on the backcheck to get his stick on a cross-ice pass destined for Forsberg.
It led to the goals and then some frustration by the Predators to try to swing momentum.
First, it was Pettersson speeding away on a 2-on-1 break with Ilya Mikheyev and snapping a precision shot to the far blocker side for his 13th and third in the last six games. Then, it was a heavy forechecking presence that led to an early Christmas present for Aman.
With Sam Lafferty going hard on a disruptive forecheck with Phil Di Giuseppe, Luke Schenn made a panic clearing attempt. It landed on the blade of Aman for his first of the season.
Bump in the night, no fight, no goal
Then came a strange first-stanza sequence as the Predators tried to press the issue.
Winger Michael McCarron drove Conor Garland hard into the corner boards and was challenged to a fight by Joshua that never materialized. As that was happening, centre Tomas Tomasino sped away on a breakaway and was foiled by Casey DeSmith. McCarron got the minor and game misconduct.
The first effort that got by the Canucks’ backup was a Lauzon effort in which DeSmith looked like he was expecting a pass to his glove side before the D-man went short side to make it 2-1. Cody Glass scored in the final minute as DeSmith finished with 26 saves to improve to 6-2-2.
Hoglander’s clip-and-save 10th goal
Hopefully, winger Vasily Podkolzin was watching Tuesday.
All that work paid off in the second period Tuesday.
Hoglander battled down low and got his stick in position to deflect home a Quinn Hughes point shot. Only Boeser (23), Miller (15) and Pettersson (13) have more team goals.
“He’ll very rarely sit in a corner and will scoot to an area” said Tocchet. “He’s tough to defend, that little guy. When he gets to those levels — underneath sticks for deflections and rebound goals where he has beat someone to the net — those are goals he can really get for us.”
Hughes became the first NHL defenceman to hit 40 points. He then made it 41 by sending Teddy Blueger in to make it 5-1 and chase Saros, who allowed five goals on 24 shots.
Make it four Kuzmenko scratches
Tocchet cut to the chase Tuesday morning.
When asked about Andrei Kuzmenko’s fourth scratch of the season, he didn’t have much to say because we’ve heard it all before. On a night where speed and checking were imperative against the pesky Predators, the bench boss looked elsewhere.
“I’m trying to win a game and I felt this was the best lineup and we’ll re-evaluate for the Dallas game (Thursday), said Tocchet. The fourth line was Aman between Di Giuseppe and Lafferty.
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The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
PSG officials and Mbappé’s representatives met in Paris on Wednesday after Mbappé asked the commission to get involved. Mbappé joined Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer.
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AP soccer:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
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