Canucks Can't Beat Juuse Saros, Fall 3-0 To The Predators

The Vancouver Canucks fell for the first time in 2025, losing 3-0 to the Nashville Predators. Despite outshooting Nashville, the Canucks could not find a goal, falling to 18-12-8 on the season. In net, Kevin Lankinen stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced, while Jusse Saros made 27 saves in the victory.

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It was another frustrating night at Rogers Arena as fans once again left after a loss. While Vancouver did record 27 shots, they struggled to create high-danger chances, with a large percentage of their shots hitting Saros in the chest. The Canucks also couldn't capitalize on their two power plays, recording zero shots with the man advantage.

"Their goalie was really good today," said Tocchet post-game. "Lots of chances. Yeah, we're pretty aggressive with the hits; I liked that. Couldn't get that big goal, but would have liked to see a better six-on-five decision-making. But yeah, power play. You need those moments. But you know, missing some key guys in those moments."

Tocchet was also asked about J.T. Miller, who has not scored a goal in 12 straight games. Miller played over 20 minutes but was on the ice for two goals against. When asked if Miller is feeling any additional pressure with both Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes out of the lineup, Tocchet said, "I think there's always pressure on everybody. You know, top guys feel it, but it's the world you live in. You got to just keep plugging away. We're still in the thick of things, and you know, we'll get some healthy bodies back eventually, but you know, you got to break through somehow.

As for some positives, it was another strong night for the pairing of Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort. Both played significant minutes at even strength, with Desharnais surpassing the 22-minute mark on the night. When asked about his partnership with Forbort, Desharnais said, "He's a veteran, steady Eddie. Just talks a lot. He helps me out a lot, and he tries to let me know if he sees something else. I've been learning a lot from him, on the ice, off the ice. I think we have great gaps. We're trying to quick up a lot, and I think it's been going pretty well together."

It was also a strong game for Kiefer Sherwood, who, on top of throwing six hits, finished with five shots on goal. When asked about the team's performance, especially in the third period, Sherwood said, "Yeah. I mean, third period, everything tightens up. You know, they're just trying to get it in, and we're trying to get pucks back. I thought we did a good job of pressuring their D and creating some turnovers. Just haven't had a chance to break it down, but I thought we probably created more chances than them and probably better tonight. Obviously, we had a back-to-back, but I did think that I was impressed with our effort tonight."

In the end, while there were positives to draw from this game, the bottom line is that Vancouver suffered yet another loss at home. While the loss is bad, the fact that they were shut out leaves an even bitter taste in the mouths of fans who once again watched the team struggle at Rogers Arena. Now, on the road for five straight, the hope is the team can get healthy and find a way to generate some offence at home when they return on January 16.

Facts and Stats:

- Phillip Di Giuseppe sets a new career high with nine hits

- Recording his 220th hit, Kiefer Sherwood ties Darcy Hordichuk for the 39th most in franchise history

- Canucks record a season-high 51 hits

- Vancouver records two shots in the final 11 minutes of the third period

1st Period:

No Scoring

2nd Period:

16:52- NSH: Steven Stamkos (12) from Jonathan Marchessault and Filip Forsberg

3rd Period:

18:17- NSH: Gustav Nyquist (7) from Nick Blankenburg and Colton Sissons (ENG)
19:29- NSH: Colton Sissons from Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist (ENG)

Up Next:

The Canucks head east for the first of five straight on the road. Their first stop will be in Montreal, where they will take on the Canadiens on Monday. Game time is set for 4:30 pm PT from the Bell Centre.