Dakota Joshua scores 2 goals to help lift Canucks past Predators 4-2 in Game 1 of playoff series

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua scored 12 seconds apart in the third period and the Vancouver Canucks stormed back for a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday night.

Joshua had two goals and an assist, Elias Lindholm also scored and Thatcher Demko stopped 20 shots for Vancouver, the Pacific Division champion which hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2015.

“We’ve been talking about being in one-goal games the whole season for these moments, and I love that there was zero panic today, hardly any at all,” Canucks forward J.T. Miller said. “We just stayed with it.”

Jason Zucker and Ryan O’Reilly scored for Nashville, and Juuse Saros made 17 saves.

The Canucks were trailing 2-1 when Suter tied it 8:59 into the third. Quin Hughes took a pass from Brock Boeser and blasted a shot that deflected off Suter and past Saros from just inside the blue line.

Just 12 seconds later, Lindholm checked Jeremy Lauzon behind the Predators’ net and shook him off the puck. Conor Garland picked it up and flicked it to Joshua, who sent it in from the top of the crease to put Vancouver up 3-2.

“I’ll never forget it,” Joshua said of his goal. “And it makes you want to keep doing it.”

Demko preserved the one-goal advantage with a series of late stops, including one on Roman Josi with 1:49 left.

The Predators pulled Saros and Joshua took advantage, scoring his second goal of the night into an empty net with 1:28 remaining to seal the victory.

“I think we just stayed patient the entire game and didn’t really push too hard or give anything up when we were down going into the third,” said Hughes, who had two assists. “We got our looks and we knew we were going to get our looks.”

Nashville went 1 for 4 on the power play, while Vancouver was 0 for 3.

“Every power play that you don’t score on is a missed opportunity,” Zucker said. “I thought it was nice to get that one. (O’Reilly) and those guys made some great plays there and I thought our (penalty kill) was really good tonight.”

Nashville opened the scoring 15:15 in when Zucker took a pass from Josi and sent a shot through traffic from the top of the faceoff circle and beat Demko stick side.

Lindholm tied it 47 seconds into the second by sending a long wrist shot past Saros.

The Canucks ran into penalty trouble midway through the second, taking three calls in just over six minutes. Nashville capitalized on their first man-advantage after Teddy Blueger was sent to the box for interference.

Gustav Nyquist slid a pass to O’Reilly, who launched a shot into the top corner of Vancouver’s net. It was O’Reilly’s 26th career playoff goal.

“I thought we were starting to take over the game and we fall asleep on a shift in the offensive zone, lose assignments, don’t block a shot and it’s 2-2,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “And I thought we had a lot of momentum going there, so that’s hockey.

“We've got to learn from it and move on — Etch A Sketch memory, short term — and move straight ahead.”

NOTES: The Canucks had 39 hits, while the Predators had 32. Predators forward Cole Smith had a game-high six. ... Josi has 32 career postseason assists, setting a Predators record. He also holds the franchise mark for playoff points by a defenseman with 43.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Vancouver.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Nashville Predators' Jason Zucker (16) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Filip Hronek (17) shoots the puck down the ice away from Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg (9) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, center, stops Nashville Predators' Luke Evangelista, left, as Vancouver's Nikita Zadorov watches during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Nashville Predators' Luke Evangelista, right, watches as teammate Ryan O'Reilly, not seen, scores against Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Nashville Predators' Jeremy Lauzon, bottom left, collides with Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (35) as Phillip Di Giuseppe (34) and Teddy Blueger (53) defend during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Nashville Predators' Luke Evangelista, left, and Ryan O'Reilly (90) celebrate O'Reilly's goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Nashville Predators' Ryan O'Reilly (90) and Luke Evangelista celebrate O'Reilly's goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (3) skates away as Vancouver fans and players celebrate a goal by Canucks center Dakota Joshua (81) during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Elias Lindholm (23) celebrates his goal with the team bench against the Nashville Predators during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks center Dakota Joshua (81) celebrate his goal against the Nashville Predators as teammates Elias Lindholm (23) and Conor Garland (8) skate towards him during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Lauren Coughlin held onto the lead Friday in the CPKC Women’s Open, while Canadian star Brooke Henderson was derailed by closing bogeys at windy and smokey Earl Grey Golf Club.

Coughlin followed her opening 4-under 68 on Thursday in chilly and windy conditions with a 70 on Friday to get to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. The temperature made it into the 70s after barely climbing into the 60s on Thursday.

“I think I handled it really well overall,” Coughlin said. “It was just really difficult to judge how far the ball was going to go with the wind and the crosswind and how firm the greens got. And they had some tough pins, especially considering the direction of the wind.”

Playing through a smokey haze from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes in her afternoon round for a 73 that left her seven strokes back at 1 over. She won the 2018 tournament.

Coughlin is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is winless on the LPGA Tour.

On Friday, she had three front-none birdies and dropped a stroke on the par-4 11th. In two rounds, she's 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.

“I putted extremely well,” Coughlin said. “Two-putted really well all day. Took advantage of the front nine, which you have to, and then kind of hold on on the back nine.”

Green matched Coughlin with a 70. The Australian is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

“It was tough again out there,” Green said. “There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult.”

Ryu bogeyed the 18th for 69.

“The weather is really bad,” Ryu said. “Is a little bit cold and so windy.”

The 23-year-old South Korean player won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for her first LPGA Tour title. She was second last week in Ohio in the Dana Open.

Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join second-ranked Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at age 15, successfully defended her title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.

“It’s not easy — and I think the scores are showing,” Ko said. “Anything kind of under par the past couple days is a really solid round. I’m pretty happy with the way I started this week.”

Kupcho topped the leaderboard at 8 under after birdieing five of the first eight holes in her morning round, then was 5 over the rest of the way. She had a double bogey on the par-4 16th, four bogeys and a birdie on her final nine holes.

“I’m pretty upset,” Kupcho said. “I think in hindsight I still hit 15 greens. Like I was hitting the ball really good. Three-putted 10 and 11 and four-putted 16. I didn’t play bad. Just had a couple shaky putts down the stretch — and that’s going to happen.”

Lexi Thompson was in the group with Henderson tied for 26th at 1 over after a 73 The American plans to play a limited schedule after this season.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Lexi Thompson, of the United States, chips on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, watches her tee shot on the fifteenth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, lines up a putt on the fourteenth green during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

New Zealand's Lydia Ko hits a tee shot on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Korea's Haeran Ryu hits a tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Brooke Henderson hits a tee shot on the second hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits from the fairway on the sixth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits a tee shot on the seventh hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)