Canucks 1 Predators 3

Game Recaps: canucks.com . ESPN
Statistics: Score Sheet . Stat Sheet

• You can't blame the Canucks' effort on this one. For the second consecutive game, they played a gritty, energetic game. Besides the 42-20 shot advantage, they (officially) outhit the Predators 15-12 and drew 11 powerplays while only giving up seven to the Preds. I can't find stats on the amount of time played in either zone, but it sure seemed like the Canucks were on the attack for most of the game.
• Nolan Baumgartner came back from injury and boosted a depleted Canucks defense. There's a sentence I never thought I'd say. Baumer logged a modest 16:41 minutes of ice-time and played a solid game. He played smart, made smart passes and was most noticeable manning the powerplay. With Baumer on the point, produced more scoring chances than their one goal in 11 chances would indicate.
• Still without Mattias Ohlund, Ed Jovanovski and Sami Salo, every Canucks defenseman played regular shifts. Bryan Allen once again led all Canucks defensemen in ice-time (23:01) and everyone else logged at least 16 minutes of ice-time. Sven Butenschon logged the least minutes (16:29).
• The 20 shots against was the Canucks' third lowest total this season. With their top three defensemen out of the lineup, the Canucks have played much better team defense. The forwards have been more responsible defensively and the team combined for 16 blocked shots.
• Still with the defense, Tomas Mozjis and Sven Butenschon have been pleasant surprises the last couple of games. Mozjis has looked more comfortable, especially when handling the puck, and Butenschon has been solid. It's amazing, really, to think that these guys are probably numbers eight and nine on the team's depth chart (or nine and ten if you count Wade Brookbank) and able to contribute as they have. James Mirtle has more on the Canucks defense.
• I thought Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi played very good games tonight. Naslund, of course, scored his 28th goal and could still score 40 goals this season. While Bertuzzi only recorded an assist, he was a factor on a lot of his shifts. He roughed it up in the corners and took the puck to the net. More of that would be nice.