Canucks finish off Predators in six games, will face Oilers in Round 2

The Vancouver Canucks are heading to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a dramatic 1-0 win over the host Nashville Predators in Game 6 on Friday.

The win sets up a much-anticipated showdown against the Edmonton Oilers in a Western Conference semifinal.

Pius Suter scored the Game 6 winner in the third period, while Arturs Silovs notched the shutout as Vancouver won its third road game in as many tries this post-season.

It’s the Canucks’ first playoff series win since the 2020 COVID-19 bubble, and their first non-bubble series win since 2011.

Silovs was the third starting goaltender used by the Canucks in the playoffs after Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith suffered injuries. The 23-year-old Latvian was up to the task, going 2-1 in three starts.

The Canucks finished five points ahead of the Oilers for the Pacific Division title.

Vancouver was 4-0 against Edmonton in the regular season but three of those wins came early in the season before the Oilers turned things around with a coaching change.