Matthew Wood Scores Twice As Nashville Predators Defeat Bruins | Recap

Playing with four call-ups from the Milwaukee Admirals, fresh off four trades and without their top center, the Nashville Predators were led by their youth, seeing Matthew Wood score twice in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena. 

"Nothing, they do what really surprises me," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "Right from our leaders, grabbing it and our young kids brought some energy, and it was a good synergy tonight. I'm proud of the group.

"It's been an emotional week for a lot of guys and we stuck together like we have all year." 

Nashville faced a ton of adversity coming into the game, as it had traded Michael McCarron and Cole Smith on Tuesday, Nick Blakenburg on Wednesday and Michael Bunting just hours before its matchup against Boston. 

The Predators were also without Ryan O'Reilly, who was day-to-day with an upper-body injury after he was nicked in the eye by Charlie Coyle's stick in Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

In response, Nashville called up Ryan Ufko, Reid Schaefer and Fedor Svechkov from the Admirals on Wednesday night.  
"They (the call-ups) brought so much energy," Roman Josi said. "It's been a hard week to see that many guys go and it's a big opportunity for a lot of young guys to get in the lineup, to have a bigger role, play more minutes. We saw tonight that they want to grab it." 
Joakim Kemell was a late call-up on Thursday afternoon. It was a quick turnaround for Kemell as he landed in Nashville at 6:26 p.m. and arrived at Bridgestone Arena a little after 7 p.m.

Despite missing warmups, Kemell was dressed and ready for puck drop. In his first NHL game since October, he logged 16 shifts for 12:24 of ice time and recorded two shot blocks. 

"To jump into those little circumstances, I thought he showed very well. 
Especially in the early parts of the game, for him to come and do that is hard, and it's a credit to him. He wants it. He wants to play and he showed it." 

Nic Hague opened the scoring, sneaking in a one-time slap shot from the point through the five-hole of Joonas Korpisalo to make it 1-0. It was his first goal since Jan. 3 and his third of the season.

Wood notched his first of the night shorthanded in the second period, scoring on a drop pass from Nick Perbix, who intercepted a David Pastrnak pass to spark the breakaway opportunity. 

"I was very fortunate and he (Perbix) made an unbelievable play," Wood said on the goal. "I don't know how he saw me, but I'm glad he did. It was a great pass. I probably won't get many shorties in my career, but there's the first one." 

Boston responded on the power play, but Erik Haula restored a two-goal lead, tipping in a shot from Brady Skjei to make it 3-1. 

Filip Forsberg extended the lead on a wrist shot on the power play. It was his eighth power play goal of the season and 28th of the year. Ufko also recorded his first point as a Predator on a secondary assist. 

Wood found the net for the second time on the night, tipping in a shot from Josi. Thursday was his second career multi-goal game. The first was a 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Nov. 10, where he recorded his first career hat trick. 

"He's probably, through the middle of the ice, our best player," Brunette said of Wood. "With his deceptiveness, speed and range, he makes plays, and I'm a big proponent of speed through the middle of the ice.

"I know he hasn't played (center) in a few years. I think he was excited to get that opportunity. I thought he's looked really good so far." 

Boston made a push in the third period, getting goals from Charlie McAvoy and Viktor Arvidsson to make it a two-goal game. 

Luke Evangelista added an empty net goal with 2:27 left in the game. 

Juuse Saros made 20 saves on 23 shots, including a highlight reel glove save while falling backwards. It was his 22nd win of the season and first since February 2nd. 

This was the Predators' final game before the trade deadline, which will occur on Friday at 2 p.m. CST. Nashville has traded away all of its pending unrestricted free agents except for two: Haula and Tyson Jost. 

Nashville is on the road on Saturday, taking on the Buffalo Sabres at 4:30 p.m. CST.