Rinne shines as Canucks fail to eliminate Predators

Canucks lose game five to Predators in Vancouver, look to close out series in Nashville

VANCOUVER-- Leading 3-1 in the second round series the Vancouver Canucks were presented with the advantageous position of closing out the series at home against the Nashville Predators and wait for their next opponent to come to them. Unfortunately for Vancouver, the Predators were not in the mood to roll over and die.
Despite the inspiring efforts of Ryan Kesler who scored two goals and only missed one shift after taking a puck to the face, it appeared the Canucks failed to show a killer instinct to put a team away in the elimination game.The Predators scored two third period goals to break a tie and held on to win 4-3 Saturday night.
The Canucks dropped to 1-4 in elimination games. All the talk in the Vancouver media was how the Canucks learned their lesson against Chicago and would put a team away when they had the chance. Now the team must head back Nashville with the Predators gaining momentum on offense with the best goaltender in the playoffs in Pekke Rinne. Vancouver Sun
Joel Ward and David Legwand scored two goals each for Nashville, their highest scoring game in the playoffs this season. Both of Ward's goals came back to back in the third period. Ward now leads the playoffs in goals with seven.
Vancouver got off to a rough start despite drawing an early penalty. Sloppy puck handling by Mikeal Samuelson led to a breakaway shorthanded goal by Legwand, giving Nashville an early lead. The Canucks responded when Janick Hansen intercepted the puck and passed to Raffi Torres who scored his first goal of the playoffs to even the score in the first period. Kesler added a goal in first as Vancouver took the lead into the first intermission.
Mason Raymond led a two-on-one with Kesler skating up the left side with Nashville defenceman Shea Weber on his back. Raymond passed it to Kesler who one-timed it in for a goal as Weber crashed into the net.
The second period started off bad for Vancouver when Legwand scored again with a fluke goal. From behind the net he shot the puck over the net and deflected off Canuck defensemen Alex Edler for a goal to tie the game at two.
Ward scored both his goals in the first five minutes into the third period, quieting the capacity crowd.
Kesler would not quit however, despite losing a tooth when a deflected puck hit him in the lower jaw. Kesler scored with under five minutes to play to bring Vancouver within one but could not find the equalizer.
Rinne made 31 saves to Luongo's 19 saves. Vancouver also outhit and won twice as many faceoffs. Both teams did a great job of staying out of the penalty box with only three penalty's called all game.
Now the series moves to Nashville, where Vancouver won both games. What must be troubling for the Canucks is the lack of scoring from the top line. The Sedin twins have combined for only five points and only Henrik Sedin has scored an empty net goal in the series.
For Vancouver to succeed going forward, the Sedin twins need to be more aggressive making plays and shooting the puck to continue. The best players make plays in the biggest moments and Ryan Kesler cannot do it all for Vancouver.