Music: {allcanada} Rinne injured in Predators win against Canucks

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

{allcanada} Rinne injured in Predators win against Canucks

NASHVILLE -- Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne was removed from the game with 17:05 remaining in the third period with a lower body injury in Nashville's 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Rinne left after Nashville defenseman Anton Volchenkov and Vancouver forward Chris Higgins collided into the net. Rinne was knocked backward into the boards along with the net. He stretched on the ice after the play, and then went to the locker room and did not return.

Rinne (20 saves) leads the NHL with 29 wins and has not lost a game in regulation since Dec. 13 against the San Jose Sharks. He was named to the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game after missing 51 games last season with a hip infection.

Backup goaltender Carter Hutton came into the game for Nashville and stopped all 10 shots he faced.

Forward Craig Smith gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 4:07 of the first period on a power-play goal from the slot. Smith one-timed a pass from forward Colin Wilson past Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack. Forward Mike Ribeiro's assist on the goal was his 20th point in his past 20 games.

Wilson gave the Predators a 2-0 lead at 6:22 of the first period on a wrist shot that beat Lack on the blocker side. Wilson led a 2-on-1 rush with forward Mike Fisher and placed his shot under the crossbar on the far side for his second point of the game.

Vancouver defenseman Alexander Edler made it 2-1 at 13:32 of the second period on a one-timer from the point that beat Rinne through traffic.

Rookie forward Filip Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-1 lead at of the third period on a quick wrist shot from the corner. Forsberg's shot surprised Lack and squeezed through the pads and across the goal line.

Fisher gave Nashville a 4-1 lead with 4:29 remaining in the period. Forward James Neal, who returned to the lineup after missing the past five games because of a lower-body injury, made a lead pass that Fisher was able to collect and slide past Lack.

Smith scored his second power play goal with 2:21 remaining in the third period on a rebound from a shot by defenseman Seth Jones.

Nashville improved to a League-best 17-2-1 at home.