• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Raymond excels as Canucks edge Predators

Feb 22, 2008 - 6:09 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Rookie Mason Raymond finished what he started.

Raymond scored the game's first goal in the opening period and netted the only tally in the shootout to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 triumph Thursday over the Nashville Predators.

"It's good to get goals to help our team, and I am more than happy to do that," Raymond said. "Confidence can carry you a long way. I try to focus on what I can do, and that's playing hard."

Defenseman Alex Edler also scored in regulation and Ryan Shannon collected two assists for Vancouver, which improved to 3-0-2 in its last five road games.

"On the road, we are finding ways to win," said Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, who finished with 49 saves. "It's not pretty every night, but as long as we find ways to get it done, that's the type of hockey we're the best at."

"Obviously in tonight's game, it was all Roberto," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We're not going to apologize for it. We got outplayed, but we didn't get outworked, and the difference was Roberto. He is always one of our hardest worker, if not our hardest worker."

Nashville coach Barry Trotz also gave credit to Luongo, who stopped 17 shots in the first period, 11 in the second, 15 in the third and six in overtime.

"He's one of the better goalies in the league," Trotz said. "It was a good point we earned, coming back in the third period and put up 51 shots. We just ran into a goaltender who was on his game today. That's what he does. That's why he gets $7 million dollars. There's a reason."

All-Star Jason Arnott and blue-liner Marek Zidlicky each had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who have just one regulation loss in their last seven contests (4-1-2).

With the Canucks nursing a 2-1 lead, Zidlicky forged a tie with 6:02 left in the third. After receiving a pass from Arnott, David Legwand dished to Zidlicky, who beat Luongo to the stick side with a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot for a power-play goal.

"I think the power play went pretty well tonight," Nashville defenseman Shea Weber said. "We got a few chances and we moved the puck around, but we didn't get all of the bounces that we needed. The way we know they can play defensively, it's good to battle back in the third period and get a point."

Following a scoreless overtime, Luongo denied Alexander Radulov on Nashville's first shootout attempt. Raymond then gave the Canucks the edge, beating netminder Chris Mason with a backhander.

"I thought about it, and I had the move in mind," Raymond said. "I wanted to make a move to get a little opening to stick it up over him."

That was all Luongo needed as he watched J.P. Dumont wrist a shot wide and, after Shannon had his wrister stopped, turned aside Legwand's backhander.

"I'm not really sure what he was trying to do," Luongo said of Legwand's attempt. "I was just able to get my stick on it and deflect it out of the way."

Raymond opened the scoring with 52 seconds remaining in the first period. After carrying the puck from the left wing to the slot, Raymond put a backhander over the left shoulder of Mason for his sixth goal of the season.

"I was able to come out of the corner," Raymond said. "They lost the coverage and I was able to get the puck up over Mason. I was lucky enough that it went in."

"This young man really has a lot of upside," Vigneault said. "He has great speed and skill, and he showed it again tonight. He made a great move on that goal and scored a big shootout goal for us."

Arnott knotted the game during a two-man advantage at 5:42 of the second with his 22nd tally. Dumont made a cross-slot pass from the right faceoff circle to Nashville's captain, who one-timed the puck past Luongo.

Defenseman Alex Edler put Vancouver back ahead with 7:11 to go in the period, firing a slap shot from the right point through traffic and between Mason's pads during a power play for his sixth of the campaign.

Nashville thought it had taken a 1-0 lead on the power play at 2:04 of the first period, when a shot by defenseman Dan Hamhuis was gloved down by Luongo as he leaned back into the net. A lengthy video review proved inconclusive, however, and no goal was awarded.

"It was a desperate play," Luongo said. "I saw that he had the open net, so I just put my glove out there and I was able to track it. It was close. Honestly, I couldn't even tell myself. I didn't know if it was barely in or not."

Canucks blue-liner Kevin Bieksa returned to the lineup after missing 46 games due to a lacerated calf. Ironically, Bieksa was hurt against the Predators on November 1, when Vernon Fiddler's skate accidently cut him, causing an injury that required surgery.

"I had some energy," Bieksa said. "Every time out there, I felt fresh, so I tried to jump up into the play as much as I could. It feels fine. I feel good now, that's why I'm playing. It's 100 percent. I'm not even thinking about it out there."