NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vancouver had to borrow a page out of its opponent's playbook to advance into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 17 years.
Hey, whatever works, right?
The Canucks grabbed an early lead in Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena on Monday and went into a defensive mode in the third period to hang on for a 2-1 series-clinching victory against the Nashville Predators, who are usually the ones that clamp down with a slim lead in the final 20 minutes.
Mason Raymond scored his first goal of the playoffs and Daniel Sedin netted his first of the series within the opening nine and a half minutes of the game to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. Ryan Kesler had assists on both goals, giving the early Conn Smythe candidate a hand in 11 of Vancouver's 14 goals in the series.
Roberto Luongo let David Legwand's tough-angle shot from the right side go through his legs early in the second period, but he stopped everything else the Predators threw at him to make the early goals hold up.
Now Vancouver waits to find out if it'll be playing San Jose or Detroit in the Western Conference Finals. The Sharks lead the Red Wings 3-2 with Game 6 in Detroit on Tuesday.
The Canucks were 3-0-1 against the Sharks and 2-0-2 against the Wings in the regular season.
Vancouver won Game 6 largely because of its efficiency on special teams. The Canucks were a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and 1-for-3 on the power play. Nashville managed only seven shots on goal over 8:29 of power play time and finished the series just 1-for-21 on the power play.
The Predators outshot the Canucks 18-9 through two periods, but Vancouver went into full clamp down mode in the third and held Nashville to just six shots in the final 20 minutes.
Nashville got within one goal 3:31 into the second period when Legwand put the puck through Luongo's legs from a tough angle near the goal line on the right side. Luongo fell backwards in an attempt to keep the puck from crossing the line, but official Steve Kozari called it a goal and video review confirmed that the puck did cross the line.
Vancouver came through on the power play 9:28 into the first period with Jordin Tootoo in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct due to embellishment. Henrik Sedin played the puck off the right wing half wall and sent it toward the slot. Kesler backhanded a quick pass over to Daniel Sedin, and from the left side he put it past Rinne 9:28 into the first period to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead.
Kesler's persistence on a hard forecheck helped set up Raymond for the first goal of the game less than two minutes earlier.
He dumped the puck behind Nashville defenseman Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, but he pressured hard on the forecheck and forced Suter to turn the puck back over to him near the goal line. Kesler backhanded the puck to the slot where Raymond collected it, deked and beat Rinne.
Nashville clearly had the momentum in the second period. It held the Canucks to only two shots on goal, and both were on their lone power play of the period. Nashville had seven shots in the second period and held an 18-9 advantage after two periods.
The Predators were outshot by a 171-140 margin over the first five games of the series.
Martin Erat had what appeared to be a great chance on a breakaway to tie the game with just over six minutes left in the second period, but Jeff Tambellini, who was making his NHL playoff debut, raced back and was able to get a hip check on Erat to bump him off the puck. It dribbled to Luongo, who covered for a faceoff.
Erat nearly set up Mike Fisher for the tying goal earlier in the second, but Fisher ripped a one-timer high and wide of the net. It was a 2-on-1 rush for the two Predators.
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