Nashville Predators square off against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for Game 3 of the NHL Playoffs First Round, with their best-of-seven series tied at a game apiece.
The Predators defeated the Canucks 4-1 in Game 2 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night to knot the series and wrestle away home-ice advantage.
As for the Canucks, it was a frustrating night. Despite having 84 shot attempts and the majority of the possession, they only managed to test Jusse Saros 18 times, while 66 were blocked or missed the target. Headed to Nashville 1-1, Vancouver will be scratching their heads to find a way to open up the Predators' defensive structure.
Here, GOAL brings you all the information you need to know about this NHL match, including how to watch, team news, key results and head-to-head results.
Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks: Date & Puck-Drop time
| Date | Friday, April 26, 2024 |
| Time | 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT |
| Arena | Bridgestone Arena |
| Location | Nashville, Tennessee |
The Stanley Cup Playoff Round 1 Game 3 between Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks takes place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, USA on Friday, April 26, 2024. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT.
How to watch Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks NHL Game on TV & stream live online
The Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks NHL fixture will be broadcast live nationally on TBS.
Fans without access to the aforementioned channel can stream the match through the streaming service Max.
Plans for Max start at under $10 a month. Max With Ads is available for $9.99/month($99.99/year), and ad-free plans are priced at $15.99/month ($149.99/year) or $19.99/month ($199.99/year).
Nashville Predators vs Vancouver Canucks Team News & Key Leaders
Nashville Predators
Defensemen Dante Fabbro (upper body) and Alexander Carrier (upper body) are doubts on their injury report.
Filip Forsberg currently has one goal and two assists in the series. Jason Zucker and Beauvillier both have one goal and one assist. Gustav Nyquist has contributed with two assists. Ryan O'Reilly has a goal, while defenseman Roman Josi has also chipped in with one assist.
Goalie Juuse Saros wasn't a busy man in Game 2 but did his job admirably when called upon.
Vancouver Canucks
Starting Goaltender Thatcher Demko is sidelined week-to-week with a suspected knee injury suffered in the series opener. Defenseman Tucker Poolman is out with a head injury.
With Demko missing through injury again, the Canucks will go with their backup goalie plan again for Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena, with Casey DeSmith lining up in between the pipes again after allowing three goals on 15 shots in Game 2.
The Canucks dictated the pace in Game 2 but lost because they failed to make their chances count with clinical finishing. 30 of their shots were saved.
Dakota Joshua had two goals and one assist in Game 1 but was anonymous in Game 2.
Elias Pettersson was the best player on the ice for most of the regular season but he's struggled to stamp his authority on this series.
Head-to-Head Record
Vancouver swept the three-game season series against Nashville, outscoring them 13-6. That doesn't mean anything heading into their playoffs, though, with their ongoing series hanging in the balance at 1-1.
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 04/24/23 | Vancouver Canucks 1-4 Nashville Predators | NHL |
| 04/21/24 | Vancouver Canucks 4-2 Nashville Predators | NHL |
| 12/20/23 | Nashville Predators 2-5 Vancouver Canucks | NHL |
| 11/01/23 | Vancouver Canucks 5-2 Nashville Predators | NHL |
| 10/25/23 | Nashville Predators 2-3 Vancouver Canucks | NHL |