Canucks Dominate Predators in Season Games, Playoffs Offer Fresh Start for Fierce Battle

Saturday, April 20th, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks are not resting on their laurels from sweeping Nashville in the regular season, knowing well that the playoffs are a different beast. This perspective comes in light of Nashville's impressive finish to the regular season, which starkly resets expectations for the playoffs.

The Predators, buoyed by a record-setting point streak that catapulted them into the top wild card spot in the Western Conference, come into the playoffs with a renewed sense of confidence. This momentum is significant for a team with a wealth of experience and a recent Presidents' Trophy to their name, despite not securing a series win since 2018.

On the other side, Vancouver aims to break a series win drought dating back to 2020, holding onto memories of their victory over Nashville in the 2011 Western semifinals. The coaching matchup sees Rick Tocchet of Vancouver, a contender for the Jack Adams Award, going head-to-head with Nashville's Andrew Brunette.

The upcoming series is also highlighted by a clash between two of the league's top defenders, with Quinn Hughes representing Vancouver and Roman Josi for Nashville, both in contention for the Norris Trophy. Goalie matchups pit Vancouver's Thatcher Demko against Nashville's Juuse Saros, who is on a quest for his maiden playoff series win, with Demko making a comeback from an injury.

Offensively, Filip Forsberg for Nashville and J.T. Miller for Vancouver are anticipated to be pivotal in their teams' quests for success, bringing their scoring prowess to the forefront of this playoff clash.

Related Links

• Vancouver Canucks News & Updates
• Vancouver Canucks Schedule & Scores
• Nashville Predators News & Updates
• Nashville Predators Schedule & Scores
• NHL News