Sunday’s Game 4 matchup between the Nashville Predators and the Vancouver Canucks looked like it could be a turning point in the series for the Predators. But instead, the Canucks were able to pull off a comeback victory that you have to see to believe.
The Predators looked poised to tie the series up at two games a piece, holding a 3-1 lead with just under three minutes to go in the third period.
But the Canucks battled back, as Canucks right winger Brock Boeser scored a goal to make it a one-goal deficit.
KEEP PUSHING❗️ pic.twitter.com/5uCo7DKiEM
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) April 28, 2024
The Canucks then pulled their goalie with only a few minutes remaining to attempt to apply some pressure and potentially tie the game.
This created a scoring chance for the Predators, but center Colton Sissons hit the post on what was an empty net, a brutal mistake that would come back to bite them in a huge way.
WOW. Nashville Predators center Colton Sissons hits the post with an empty net with just under two minutes to go. 👀😬pic.twitter.com/I81fkWUEAj
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 29, 2024
The Canucks would get one final chance at scoring a goal of their own to force overtime. And Brock Boeser came through once again with the most important goal of the night with just eight seconds remaining to tie the game.
The Canucks would go on to force overtime thanks to a goal from right-winger Brock Boeser with eight second to go in the third period. What a tough break for the Predators… pic.twitter.com/VsGGQeQE8z
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 29, 2024
At this point, all of the momentum was clearly with the Canucks. And it didn’t take them long to close this game out for good once it got to overtime. Canucks center Elias Lindholm got a good look just over a minute into the overtime period, beating Predators goalie Juuse Saros to give his team a 3-1 series lead.
The Canucks pull off the miracle comeback in overtime, scoring three goals in the last four minutes of action to take a 3-1 series lead.👀🔥pic.twitter.com/shUTEPaotk https://t.co/CSrPAKVGRu
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 29, 2024
This can obviously be looked at one of two ways. On one hand, the Canucks showed off some serious resilience to come back in the final moments of this game and steal a victory.
But on the other hand, it was a pretty severe choke job by the Predators to lose this very winnable game in the final moments. And fans certainly took to social media to point that out when the game finished up.
True Sunday scaries for anyone that bet the Predators (-150 ML) today ❌😩 pic.twitter.com/rq96Dr0Plx
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) April 29, 2024
I don’t think it’s very fair that the nashville predators are allowed to do that to me and I’m just supposed to go to work tomorrow
— ryan (@AngryPredsFan) April 29, 2024
The Nashville Predators just had the biggest collapse in recent history…
Thy led 3-1 with under three minutes left.. pic.twitter.com/ww37LTszmG
— Mike Daddino (@mike_daddino) April 29, 2024
NHL Stats says tonight was the first time the Predators have allowed a game-tying goal in the final ten seconds of regulation in a playoff game.
Just pain in Nashville.#NHLStats #Preds
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) April 29, 2024
This is a failure on absolutely every level.
This is the most embarrassing game in Nashville Predators history.
Andrew Brunette
Roman Josi
Colton Sissons
Juuse SarosEvery Defender, Forward, absolutely every one involved with this team FAILED.
What a disgrace of a team
— Seventh Predator (@The7thPred) April 29, 2024
After this kind of demoralizing loss, it’s hard to argue that the Predators have a very high probability of coming out motivated for Game 5 of the series on Tuesday. Instead of coming out of this game in a 2-2 series tie, the Predators will be heading to Vancouver for Game 5 in a game where they will be facing elimination.