Predators 4 - 3 Canucks
Final
  for this game

Canucks aim to finish off Preds in Game 5

May 7, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - The top-seeded Vancouver Canucks will try to earn a spot in the conference finals for the first time in 17 years when they host the Nashville Predators in tonight's Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks are holding a 3-1 lead in this best-of-seven series after recording victories in Games 3 and 4 in Nashville. Ryan Kesler scored the OT game-winner in the third contest and also provided the deciding goal in Thursday's 4-2 triumph in Game 4 at Bridgestone Arena.

Vancouver is one win away from earning a berth in the conference finals for the first time since 1994, when they made all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before bowing out to the New York Rangers in seven games.

Meanwhile, the Predators are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history after defeating Anaheim in the conference quarterfinals.

Kesler won Game 3 by drawing a penalty in overtime, then scoring his second power-play goal of the game to lift the Canucks to a 3-2 victory. On Thursday, Kesler scored a highlight-reel power-play goal at 7:28 of the final stanza to put the Canucks on the brink of the Western Conference finals.

The American forward has three goals and four assists in this series and has 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) during the entire postseason.

Christian Ehrhoff recorded a goal and two assists on Thursday, and Roberto Luongo got the better of fellow Vezina Trophy finalist Pekka Rinne, stopping 19-of-21 shots and avoiding a late hiccup that sent the previous two games to overtime.

"We have to take it one game at a time. The series is not over. We got to make sure we come ready to play Saturday," Luongo said.

Rinne made 24 saves for Nashville, which got a goal and an assist apiece from Cody Franson and Joel Ward.

Thursday's contest was the first game in this series not decided by one goal.

Canucks defenseman Sami Salo returned to the lineup on Thursday after missing the previous four games with an undisclosed injury. The veteran was injured in Game 6 of Vancouver's opening-round series win against Chicago. He logged 16 minutes, 45 seconds of ice time in Game 4.

Nashville is expected to be without forwards Steve Sullivan (lower body) and Jerred Smithson (upper body) tonight. Sullivan sat out Thursday's contest and Smithson was injured in Game 4.

The Canucks are 4-2 as the host in the playoffs after going 24-9-8 at Rogers Arena during the regular season. Nashville had a 20-18-3 mark on the road this year and is 3-2 as the guest this postseason.

The Predators and Vancouver split four games in the regular season series and this is the first time the clubs are meeting in the postseason.






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