• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Canucks finish off road trip with win over Nashville

Dec 4, 2013 - 5:58 AM Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Kesler scored a pair of goals in the third period to lift the Vancouver Canucks over the Nashville Predators, 3-1, on Tuesday.

Brad Richardson also scored for the Canucks, who went 3-1-0 on a four-game road trip. Roberto Luongo stopped 30-of-31 shots.

"The second half of the game, we started playing our game," Canucks coach John Tortorella said. "Our power play came through again. We won three out of four, and that's traction."

Colin Wilson scored the lone goal for the Predators, who have fallen short in the first three engagements of a four-game homestand.

Marek Mazanec allowed more than two goals in a game for the first time since Nov. 15. He turned aside 30-of-33 shots on Tuesday.

The Canucks drew first blood at 15:24 of the second period. Dale Weise's shot from the right circle was stopped by Mazanec, but Richardson jammed home the rebound.

Just 30 seconds later, Wilson lit the lamp for the Predators. Patric Hornqvist controlled a rebound in the slot and slid a pass to Wilson, who had an easy tap-in.

Kesler gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at the 7:37 mark of the third period. Jason Garrison's slap shot from the left point was stopped by Mazanec, but Kesler put home the rebound.

"On that second goal, we lost two battles; our centers lost two battles down low," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "In the corner and in front, we lost two battles and it wound up in our net."

Kesler added a power-play goal at 14:15.

Game Notes

Vancouver has won four straight against the Predators ... Mazanec was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for November earlier in the day ... Nashville was without defensemen Shea Weber (eye) and Kevin Klein (lower body) for a second consecutive game ... The Canucks announced on Tuesday that forward Alex Burrows will miss approximately four weeks with a broken jaw.