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Canucks try to turn corner on road-trip woes

Dec 9, 2008 - 11:39 AM Vancouver (15-10-3) at Nashville (14-11-2) 8:00 p.m. EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Vancouver Canucks' longest road trip of the season has been a disaster.

The Canucks try to bounce back from yet another loss on Tuesday when they visit the Nashville Predators.

Vancouver was 7-4-1 on the road this season entering its seven-game swing. However, the Canucks have not duplicated that early success on this trip, dropping each of the first three games in regulation before forging a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

Despite a pair of goals from Steve Bernier, Vancouver dropped a 5-4 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. It was the eighth straight loss for the Canucks against the Avalanche, dating back to November 9, 2007.

While Vancouver has struggled to find success on its road trip, the team has won four straight games against the Predators and each of the last three in Nashville.

The Predators had won three straight in regulation before enduring a 6-3 setback to the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

J.P. Dumont and defenseman Kevin Klein scored and rookie Antti Pihlstrom netted his first career NHL goal for Nashville during the loss. Predators' goaltender Pekka Rinne, who was named the NHL's "First Star" last week, made 20 saves in suffering his first setback of the season after posting a 6-0-0 record in his first eight appearances.