The Nashville Predators (29-44-8, 64 points) dropped a 7-3 decision to the Utah Hockey Club (38-30-13, 89 points) in their penultimate game of the season Monday at Bridgestone Arena.
Clayton Keller had two goals and two assists for Utah, who extended their point streak to five games with the win. Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists, Alexander Kerfoot had three assists, and Matt Villalta made 27 saves for his first NHL win in his third game.
Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who have lost eight of their last 10. Juuse Saros made 29 saves in the loss.
The Predators were unable to complete the season sweep of their Central Division rivals after winning the first two games of the series. Nashville won a 4-0 shutout against Utah at home on Nov. 9 and claimed a 4-3 shootout win last week in Salt Lake City.
Predators defensive prospect Ryan Ufko, who was recalled Monday from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, will make his NHL debut against Utah. Originally drafted by Nashville in the fourth round (No. 115 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Ufko made his pro debut with Milwaukee last season after three collegiate seasons at UMass Amherst.
How Nashville Lined Up vs. Utah
Forsberg-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Bunting-Stamkos-Wood
L'Heureux-Svechkov-Marchessault
Smith-McCarron-Vrana
Skjei-Blankenburg
Oesterle-Barron
Del Gaizo-Ufko
Saros
Annunen
Extra: Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body), Englund (illness)
IR: Lauzon, Wilsby, Josi
Nashville Predators vs. Utah Hockey Club: Live Updates
First Period (NSH 1, UTA 2)
The Predators were gifted an early 5-on-3 advantage when Barrett Hayton was whistled for tripping just 20 seconds into a Kevin Stenlund slashing penalty. Nashville managed six shots on goal but couldn't capitalize at 5-on-3. Ryan O'Reilly finally found the back of the net just as the second penalty was set to expire, giving the Predators a 1-0 lead at the 6:10 mark of the first period.
Michael Kesselring got Utah on the board with a laser from the top of the circle that beat Juuse Saros to tie the game at 1-1 at the 12:30 mark.
Nick Bjugstad gave Utah its first lead of the game when he buried a shot from the goal line at the 18:21 mark of the period. Utah carried a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, while shots were 15-11 in favor of Nashville.
Second Period (NSH 3, UTA 4)
Logan Cooley doubled Utah's lead with a shot from the high slot at the 3:03 mark of the second period. Nashville challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the challenge was unsuccessful, resulting in a 5-on-4 power play for Utah.
Brady Skjei was whistled for tripping less than a minute into the Predators' penalty kill, and Utah swiftly capitalized on the 5-on-3 advantage with a Nick Schmaltz power-play goal at the 4:13 mark.
Luke Evangelista – wearing a full "bubble" mask after taking a puck to the face in the first period – cut the Predators' deficit to 4-2 when he put home the rebound on a Brady Skjei shot at the 11:01 mark of the second period.
Michael Bunting made it a one-goal game for Nashville when he tapped in the rebound from a Justin Barron shot at the 14:20 mark. Matthew Wood recorded a secondary assist on the goal for his first NHL point.
The second period came to an abrupt end at the 16:16 mark due to an ice issue that required repairs. The third period will include an additional 3:44 from the remaining second period, the first two minutes of which will be a Nashville power play due to a holding call on Kesselring.
Third Period (NSH 3, UTA 7)
Clayton Keller scored for Utah when his intended pass deflected off of Ufko and into the net at the 12:05 mark of the third period. He scored into the empty net at 18:13 to make it 6-3, Utah.
Kevin Stenlund scored on a redirection at 19:35 for the 7-3 final.