In a thrilling Game 1 encounter, the Vancouver Canucks overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-2 at Rogers Arena. Dakota Joshua and Pius Suter were the heroes for Vancouver, combining for three consecutive goals in the third period.
Suter tied the game at 2-2 just 8:59 into the final frame, deflecting in a Quinn Hughes shot. An astonishing 12 seconds later, Joshua gave the Canucks the lead with a goal from the slot, marking his first career playoff goal.
Joshua, who grew up watching his mother play hockey, sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minutes. Elias Lindholm also scored for Vancouver, while goaltender Thatcher Demko made 20 saves.
Jason Zucker and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, but it was not enough to overcome the Canucks’ third-period surge.
The win marked the Canucks’ first playoff game at Rogers Arena since 2015 and sets the stage for an exciting Game 2 on Tuesday night.
