VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The worst team in the NHL at protecting third-period leads hung on against one of the league's hottest teams on Saturday night at Rogers Arena.

Vancouver center Bo Horvat's second-period goal held up as the winner and left winger Daniel Sedin scored an insurance goal into an empty net as the Canucks beat the Nashville Predators 4-2.

"They're a great team," Horvat said. "They collected points in their previous 14 games.

"We had a heck of a first period, one of our best periods of the year, I think, getting pucks to the net, playing well defensively and limiting their chances."

After Nashville closed within one on a goal by Mike Fisher at 9:17 of the second period, Horvat had defenseman Yannick Weber's rebound go in off his shin pad to make it 3-1.

Nashville center Colton Sissons made it 3-2 at 16:20 of the second and Nashville outshot Vancouver 17-8 in the second period.

The tone of a feisty game was set early. A minute into the game, 19-year-old right winger Jake Virtanen rocked Nashville center Mike Ribeiro hard into the boards.

The Vancouver rookie picked up a boarding penalty but also pummeled Predators left winger Filip Forsberg, who had dropped his gloves, earning a roughing minor.

"Especially in the first period, we had all our lines contributing," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. "We had a really good first period from all our lines and overall. Each line contributed tonight."

Nashville had just one shot on goal in the opening 15 minutes.

Canucks left winger Sven Baertschi, out-muscling Nashville defenseman Shea Weber in front of Perdators goalie Pekka Rinne, opened the scoring at 17:44 of the first period.

Fourth-line right winger Derek Dorsett scored his first goal in 30 games to give the Canucks a two-goal lead at 19:01.

Goals by Fisher and Sissons bookended Horvat's goal to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

The Canucks are the NHL's worst team at protecting third-period leads (15-4-7) and Nashville had peppered them with 27 shots in a 25-minute span.

But goalie Ryan Miller was outstanding, especially when he robbed Nashville right winger James Neal on a rebound, stretching his right leg over to prevent what appeared to be a sure goal five minutes into the third period.

"He was unreal tonight," Horvat said of Miller. "He's been unreal all year.

"Some of the games he hasn't been getting the bounces. Tonight he stood on his head for us again.

"Without him, we don't get the win."

Nashville coach Peter Laviolette credited lucky bounces that went the Canucks' way for his club's first loss in regulation time in 15 games.

"In the second and third periods, we took over the game, but they get a bounce off a shin guard and into the net and we couldn't get one to tie it up," Laviolete said. "That's what you get for digging yourself a hole.

"The second and third periods, we controlled it. Chances, shots, a lot of good opportunities, we just couldn’t get a bounce."

Nashville finishes a five-game road trip on Monday in Edmonton.

The players wouldn't use the travel as an excuse for Saturday's slow start.

"Today was just bad," defenseman Roman Josi said. "We didn’t work hard in the first period. There’s no effort and that just can't happen.

"It was the worst first period in a long time for us. We just didn’t battle."

While the Canucks tinker with their lineup, giving young players more playing time with a playoff berth a faint hope, the Predators look comfortably settled in as the first wild-card seed.

Gaining 23 of a possible 28 points during the club's recent 14-game streak was a big help.

"It got us some separation from the teams below us, but it's a tight race and we are nowhere near the playoffs yet, so we have to keep it going," Josi said.

NOTES: The Predators had a franchise-record 14 straight games (9-0-5) with at least one point. ... The last Nashville loss in regulation was Feb. 9. Since then, the Predators kept opponents to two or fewer goals nine times and had three shutouts. ... Led by Shea Weber's 17 goals, Nashville has the high-scoring defensemen in the NHL (45-122-167). ... Nashville C Paul Gausted (upper body) and D Barret Jackman (healthy scratch) did not play. ... Canucks C Henrik Sedin (upper body) returned to the lineup after missing two games. The captain started the game on a line with 19-year-old rookie RW Jake Virtanen, a move that coach Willie Desjardins called "an experiment." ... Canucks C Brendan Gaunce was a healthy scratch. ... Canucks D Chris Tanev (upper body) took the optional morning skate but is not close to returning, Desjardins said. Saturday's game was the third that Tanev missed. ... Rookie Canucks D Nikita Tramkin, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound defenseman who just arrived from the KHL, skated in the warmup but did not play.