279.Nashville plays a grinding, physical game

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279.Nashville plays a grinding, physical game
VANCOUVER - While many people in this hockey-frenzied city were still talking about what the Vancouver Canucks had done, the players were focusing Wednesday on what they need to accomplish next.
Beating the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime of a thrilling Game 7 Tuesday night brought a sense of joy and relief to Vancouver. There wont be much time to bask in the bliss as the Canucks begin their Western Matt Wieters black jerseysConference semifinal series against the Nashville Predators Thursday at Rogers Arena (CBC, 9 p.m. ET).
The Predators have been resting since eliminating the Anaheim Ducks in six games Sunday. Its the first time in the teams 13-year history that Nashville has advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
Canuck coach Alain Vigneault isnt worried about his team being emotionally and physically drained after their roller-coaster series against Chicago.
The date for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series has not been announced by the league.
The Canucks won the Presidents Trophy for having the best record in the NHL. Vancouver finished 18 points ahead of the Predators, who were the fifth-place team in the West.
There will be a change of pace playing the Predators. The series against Chicago was like a NASCAR race. Playing Nashville will be ones Black jerseysmore like a tractor pull.
Nashville plays a grinding, physical game. They bring a relentless forecheck; have a punishing defence in Norris Trophy finalist Shea Weber and Ryan Suter; and a goaltender in Pekka Rinne who is capable of stealing games.
Both Rinne and Luongo are finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the leagues best goaltender.
The Canucks led the league by allowing just 185 goals during the season. The Predators were next at 194.
Defenceman Dan Hamhuis, who signed as a free-agent with Vancouver this year after playing six seasons in Nashville, said its dangerous to underestimate the Predators.
The teams split their four games this season. Nashville outscored Vancouver 8-6.
The Canucks flirted with disaster in the first Wieters White jerseysround. They took a 3-0 series lead against the eighth-seeded Blackhawks, only to see Chicago win the next three matches and force a Game 7.
Being eliminated would have turned the best regular season in Canuck history into a joke. It also would have been a bitter pill for the fans to swallow.
The front page of the Vancouver Sun had a drawing of a fist in a hockey glove smashing through the Blackhawks logo.
Theres a federation election on Monday but the Canucks are the top item on local radio and TV stations. Game 7 drew average audience 3.82 million viewers, according to CBC.
Callers to sport radio programs talked about the players showing the character and courage past teams might have lacked.
After a week of gnawing their nails, many fans just wanted to relax and take a deep breath.
The exuberance the city felt Tuesday night was slowly being replaced by reality Wednesday. Theres a lot of hockey to be played before anyone can plan a parade route.
Beating the Blackhawks was like pulling a thorn from the Canucks side. Chicago had knocked Vancouver out of the playoffs the last two seasons.
The players know they cant let that relief turn into an emotional letdown against the Predators.