After the Canucks split the first two game against the gritty, tenacious if offensively challenged Nashville Predators, Ryan Kesler took over and established himself as a Conn Smythe Trophy contender. He scored 10 points in the final four games of the series as Vancouver advanced to the conference finals. The All-Star center's impact was most clear in overtime of Game 3, when he drew a controversial hooking penalty on a Predators defenseman Shea Weber and scored the game-winner 40 seconds later.