Cole Smith’s third-period goal stood up as the game-winner, as the Nashville Predators beat the visiting Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in NHL action Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
Ryan O’Reilly had the other goal for Nashville (3-3-2), with Juse Saros making 20 saves for the win in goal.
Max Sasson had the lone marker for Vancouver (4-4-0), while goalie Thatcher Demko had another strong game in defeat, stopping 33 of 35 Nashville shots.
The Canucks dropped the final two games of their five-game road trip, after opening with three straight victories.
The first period was scoreless. Despite having four power plays, the Canucks were outshot 12-5 during the first 20 minutes. Vancouver failed to score on a two-man advantage of more than a minute late in the period.
O’Reilly opened the scoring at 9:01 of the second period with a shorthanded tally.
O’Reilly dashed down the left side and wristed a shot pst Demko.
Sasson (with his third goal in only five games this season) evened things up at 11:49, taking a pass from Linus Karlsson and beating Saros five-hole.
Smith put Nasvhille ahead at 5:09 of the third period, floating a point shot at the net, which trickled past Demko and barely crossed the goal line.
With Demko on the bench for an extra attacker, Saros robbed Vancouver’s Brock Boeser in close as time ran out to preserve the win.
Sasson shoots. Sasson scores. Sasson cellys. pic.twitter.com/zOPtrlAmqu
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 24, 2025
Vancouver returns home Saturday to host the Montreal Canadiens (4 p.m.), then the Edmonton Oilers Sunday (7 p.m.)
NOTES: Vancouver forward Boeser was back in the lineup after missing two games due to personal reasons… Nanaimo’s Matthew Wood played his first game of the season for the Preds… Vancouver finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while the Preds were 0-for-3.