×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks, Avalanche in control up 3-1

By The Associated Press - | Apr 29, 2024

Vancouver goalie Arturs Silovs and defenseman Carson Soucy celebrate the team's Stanley Cup OT playoff win over the Predators on Sunday in Nashville. (AP photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Elias Lindholm scored 1:02 into overtime as the Vancouver Canucks stunned Nashville 4-3 Sunday and grabbed a 3-1 lead putting the Predators on the brink of elimination in their best-of-seven, first-round series.

Lindolm beat goalie Juuse Saros over his stick with a wrister from just in front of the crease off a pass from Conor Garland.

Brock Boeser had his first hat trick in the playoffs and seventh of his career. He scored on Vancouver’s first shot and got the Canucks into overtime scoring twice in the final 2:49. His third came with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to quiet a Nashville crowd that celebrated much of the third period.

J.T. Miller had three assists. The Canucks now will have a chance to advance Tuesday night in Vancouver in Game 5.

Filip Forsberg, Gustav Nyquist and Mark Jankowski all scored for Nashville, which also blew a 2-1 lead losing Game 1 giving up three goals in the third period.

The Canucks won with Arturs Silovs making 27 saves in his NHL playoff debut as their third different starting goalie.

The sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft from Riga, Latvia, replaced Casey DeSmith, who got his first postseason win Friday night in Game 2. He took over in net for All-Star Thatcher Demko who is week-to-week after winning Game 1.

The Canucks became only the second team in NHL history with three different goalies to win each of their first three games in a postseason. Vancouver also did it during the 2004 Western quarterfinals with Dan Cloutier in Game 1, Johan Hedberg in Game 3 and Alex Auld in Game 6.

Chicago in the 1972 quarterfinals was the only other team in NHL history with three different goalies to win a game at any point in a series. Tony Esposito won Game 1, Gary Smith took Game 3 and Gerry Desjardins was in net for Game 4.

AVALANCHE 5, JETS 1

Valeri Nichushkin recorded his first career hat trick, Alexandar Georgiev turned in another strong showing and the Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets to move a win away from advancing.

It’s been a roller-coaster season for the 29-year-old Nichushkin, who missed nearly two months earlier this year to receive care from NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound fast-moving Nichushkin is getting up to full speed.

“It’s hard to stop the big man,” said Artturi Lehkonen, who scored the game’s first goal.

Cale Makar also scored for the Avalanche, who grabbed a 3-1 lead in the first-round series. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

Nichushkin added an empty-netter with 13 seconds left to give him his third goal and his first hat trick in game No. 580 of his NHL career, including regular season and postseason.

Georgiev was on the hot seat after a shaky Game 1, but his confidence keeps surging with every big save. He stopped 26 shots in the matinee game.

Vezina Trophy-favorite Connor Hellebuyck continues to struggle in net. He allowed four goals on 30 shots before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit for the third period. Hellebuyck has surrendered 19 goals in the series.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *