With all the superstars on the ice for Vancouver and playing in a tight game with Nashville all night long, it would make sense that it’d be a rookie scoring his first NHL goal that would rise above them all. Lee Sweatt was called up today by the Canucks and he made his appearance count in a big way tonight scoring the go-ahead goal with 7:29 left in the third period to give Vancouver a win heading into the all-star break.
The game went quietly until the third period when Nashville’s Shea Weber scored just 37 seconds into the period to put the Predators up 1-0. Alex Burrows would tie things up ten minutes later with a backhand past Pekka Rinne. Just two minutes later Sweatt’s goal would ice it.
Roberto Luongo was steady tonight stopping 26 shots to earn the win. Rinne’s night was a bit more hectic stopping 33 in the loss.
Sweatt, a 5'9" defenseman who played college hockey at Colorado College, spent all season playing in Manitoba of the AHL with his brother Billy. Sweatt got the call tonight thanks to Alex Edler sitting out with back spasms. With the way all the moves seem to be working for the Canucks this year you have to start wondering if there’s something special going on with them this season.
The win gives Vancouver 71 points on the year and ties them with Philadelphia for most points at the break. Nashville sits fourth in the West with 60 points.