The Vancouver Canucks did their part on the ice to secure their first playoff win at Rogers Arena in nine years, but the players gave some credit to the fans in attendance.

"The building was crazy," forward Dakota Joshua said after his team's 4-2 Game 1 victory over the Nashville Predators. "You think you know what to expect until you get out there, and you don't. The fans were behind us all night, and it was nice to pull through for them."

The Canucks headed into the third period down 2-1. Pius Suter tipped in captain Quinn Hughes' shot for the equalizer, and Joshua scored the game-winning goal just 12 seconds later for the fastest two playoff goals in franchise history.

Joshua then iced the contest with an empty-netter for the first two postseason goals of his career. Prior to Sunday's thrilling win, the 27-year-old only had one other game of playoff experience under his belt.

"A special moment. I'll never forget it," he said of his heroics. "It makes you want to keep doing it."

Hughes took in some postseason action last spring while supporting his brothers, Jack and Luke, on the New Jersey Devils during their run to the second round.

He may be a little biased, but the star defenseman said there was no comparison to the atmosphere at Rogers Arena.

"I couldn't really believe how loud (our) fans were," Hughes said. "I've seen some playoff games ... but it wasn't anything like what we just witnessed. ... To be able to come out here and see the support and see how much it means to the city and the people here is pretty special."

The Canucks were welcomed to the ice by a standing ovation from the thousands of fans waving rally towels.

Vancouver last made the playoffs in 2020, but those games took place in Edmonton with no fans in attendance due to the pandemic.

J.T. Miller is one of six current Canucks who were on that roster. Prior to Sunday's Game 1, the veteran forward was itching to begin the playoffs. He clearly wasn't disappointed by the atmosphere.

"When we came out on the ice today, it was probably one of the more special things I've been a part of, other than the birth of my children and my wedding," Miller said. "It's hard not to get choked up when you see that, that literally is everything. ... If you can't get up for that, then you've got something wrong with you. That was amazing."

Now, the Canucks have to reset and turn their attention to Game 2 on Tuesday.

"We weren't perfect by any means tonight," Miller said. "I think we can be even better, which is great. ... We need to understand that there's still another gear and come off the high of being back in that playoff environment."

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

We have a fun four-game slate Monday night split between a pair of Game 2s and series openers. Let's take a look at the best ways to attack them.

David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shots

Pastrnak failed to record five shots in Game 1, but there were signs an outburst could be coming. Pastrnak's shot volume was quite solid given the circumstances. He attempted seven shots despite the Bruins leading for 58 minutes and sitting on a multi-goal lead for nearly two periods.

They didn't need to push for offense, and yet Pastrnak still generated enough attempts to give himself a reasonable chance of reaching five shots on goal.

Game 2 is almost certainly going to be more competitive, which should lead to a more favorable game script for Pastrnak to push for offense.

The matchup is very good as well. The Maple Leafs allowed more shots to wingers than all but the Blue Jackets over the last 10 games of the regular season. Pastrnak has feasted on them all year, generating 10 attempts or more in four of five meetings.

I expect we'll see an uptick in shots from Pastrnak in Game 2.

Odds: +120 (playable to -120)

Andrei Svechnikov: Over 2.5 shots

Svechnikov was a one-man shooting gallery for the Hurricanes in their series opener. He led the game in shots (six), scoring chances (eight), and shot attempts (13) while logging 15 minutes of ice time.

He mostly skated on the third line alongside Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook at even strength. That may not sound like the opportune playing situation for a dynamic offensive player like Svechnikov, but the numbers tell a different story.

Svechnikov averages upwards of 25 shot attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Staal as his center. That's a far cry from his averages alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov (15.5) or Sebastian Aho (13.9).

His shot rates are also higher with Martinook than any other winger on the Hurricanes.

Staal is more of a passer than a shooter - he had twice as many assists as goals this season - and Martinook is a north-south player whose job is to forecheck and win pucks back. Both players are happy to defer to Svechnikov, the real offensive threat on the line, and it shows in the numbers.

Expect another active shooting performance against the Islanders.

Odds: -140 (playable to -150)

Adrian Kempe: Over 2.5 shots

The Kings are going to need offense to keep up with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the high-flying Oilers. Kempe is their best bet to provide it.

He led the team in scoring during the regular season and has enjoyed unbelievable success against the Oilers for several years.

Kempe has recorded three or more shots in 22 of 25 meetings against the Oilers dating back to the 2021-22 season. He's averaged a whopping 4.7 shots per game against Edmonton in that span.

He's also on a run of 10 consecutive games against the Oilers with at least three shots. He routinely soared over the number, averaging five shots on goal per contest.

Be it in the regular season or the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers have seen a ton of Kempe over the past few years. They haven't seemed to come up with an answer to stop his shot volume.

As a member of the top line and power play, Kempe will see all the ice he can handle. Look for him to make the most of it as he so often does.

Odds: -134 (playable to -160)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.