Vancouver 4, Nashville 0

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Kyle Wellwood netted a pair of goals and goaltender Roberto Luongo turned aside 24 shots to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-0 win over the Predators on Tuesday night in Vancouver. The Canucks scored three times in the third period to open up what had been an even game through the first two periods of play.

Joel Ward was the Preds most effective forward creating four quality scoring chances through the first two periods of play, one with a pass to Jerred Smithson midway through the first period and then three opportunities of his own. Ward had a chance at the top of the goal crease with just under five minutes left in the opening period. On the ensuing faceoff, Ward had another good chance that was turned aside. Ward nearly opened the scoring with a shorthanded chance 6:30 into the second period. Dan Hamhuis made a strong play behind the net and backhanded a pass to Ward in front. Luongo went down to block the play, leaving the top of the net wide open, but Ward's snap missed high and wide.

Vancouver added a power-play goal at the 9:10 mark of the middle period to take a 1-0 lead. The Canucks came out of the nearside corner on a two-on-zero. Ellis made the initial save, but Greg de Vries, trying to get back into the play, slid into his goaltender, leaving the puck sitting in the middle of the goal crease for Kyle Wellwood to push home for his fifth goal of the season.

Nashville had a chance to tie the game on the next shift when J.P. Dumont and Patric Hornqvist came down on a two-on-one through transition. Hornqvist's shot was saved, but the rebound fluttered high and Luongo made a spectacular diving swat to knock the puck out of harms way. The line of Jason Arnott-Dumont-Hornqvist combined for 10 of Nashville's 24 shots on the game.

Ellis kept the Preds within one goal by stoning Henrik Sedin on a partial breakaway with under six and half minutes left in the second period and then made another big save on Willie Mitchell pinching in deep on a delayed penalty call early in the third period.

Vancouver would capitalize on the power-play, its second power-play goal of the night. Nashville wasted a pair of tremendous saves by Ellis, a lunging stop on Steve Bernier and then a backhanded swat of Bernier's rebound attempt. However, Ellis's backhander knocked the puck out the back side of the play where Mason Raymond was set up alone for his fifth of the season.

The Canucks extended the lead to 3-0, just 59 seconds later. Taylor Pyatt won the faceoff to the left of the Nashville net. Wellwood took the puck and eluded the Preds defense for a one-on-one with Ellis in close. Wellwood snapped the shot near side just inside the post and just under the crossbar.

Daniel Sedin poked home his fourth goal of the season with 5:03 remaining in regulation, finishing off a pin-ball sequence starting with Mitchell's shot from the point to close out the scoring.