Jeremy Swayman shut out the Predators while Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and the Bruins ran the ice at Bridgestone Arena.
The Nashville Predators took the ice at Bridgestone Arena tonight against the NHL's toughest team. The 40-8-5 Boston Bruins entered the game off of an overtime win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night while the Predators hoped to overcome their disappointing loss Monday night at home against the Arizona Coyotes.
On paper, Boston dominated this match up - and the league - in most every facet of the game. They rank seventh on the power play, first on the penalty kill, and they have an outstanding goalie duo in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, the latter of whom got the start in net tonight for the Bruins. David Pastrnak leads Boston in points and goals, including 14 power play goals.
The Predators were without their leading scorer tonight as Filip Forsberg is still listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury. Defenseman Alexandre Carrier remained out of the line up with an upper body injury as well. Nashville recalled Phil Tomasino from the Milwaukee Admirals Monday, and the game against the Coyotes was Tomasino's first NHL action this season after playing 76 games last season for the Preds. Juuse Saros got the start in net tonight for the Predators.
Game Recap
The temperature of the game was spicy from first puck drop, and it took the Bruins just 2:54 to get on the board with a flawlessly executed two on one chance finished by Brad Marchand. The Predators got the first chance on the power play as Trent Frederic was called for holding at 4:04. Phil Tomasino got one shot on goal, but Boston's top penalty kill ended the two minutes with no harm done.
Nashville got their second chance on the power play when Taylor Hall reluctantly headed to the box for a hooking call at 8:29. The Preds didn't connect on several passes back to the blue line and self cleared the zone before finally getting a shot on goal with just :05 remaining on the man advantage. Boston's penalty expired, again with no harm done.
The Bruins enjoyed periods of extended offensive zone time and rush chances, but Juuse Saros came up with big saves when needed. With 2:13 remaining in the opening period, Roman Josi headed to the penalty box for a high stick giving Boston their first opportunity on the man advantage. Nashville was able to kill off the penalty and survive the opening period down by just one goal.
The second period started much the same way the first did as former Predator Craig Smith scored at 1:11 on a bobbled puck in front of Saros. Nashville slowly started to build some zone time, but any momentum was interrupted by a questionable tripping call on Roman Josi at 7:08 giving Boston their second opportunity on the man advantage. Patrice Bergeron cashed on on the chance at 8:06 with a shot past Saros to give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Cody Glass and Nino Niederreiter generated some of Nashville's best looks of the game midway through the period, but Boston made it 4-0 on a tipped puck. Then Ryan McDonagh headed to the penalty box for a hook at 15:44. The Bruins threatened, but the Predators' penalty kill was able to keep Boston off the scoreboard. Nashville gave Boston another chance on the power play as time wound down compliments of a crosschecking call on Dante Fabbro with :34 seconds remaining in the period. The teams headed into the second intermission with a score of 4-0.
Nashville started the final period on the penalty kill but was able to kill off the rest of Fabbro's infraction. Nashville and Boston exchanged possession through the first half of the third, but Swayman was not interested giving up a goal. Nashville earned a power play opportunity on a tripping call against Jakob Lauko at 10:45, but again the power play units were unable to convert.
Shortly after the teams returned to five aside, Trent Frederic tipped a perfect pass from Nick Foligno past Saros to make it a 5-0 game at 13:47. About the same time, Tanner Jeannot was given a ten minute game misconduct penalty.
The Predators evened up the shots on goal in the waning minutes of the third, but there was no coming back from the consistent onslaught of the Bruins. The Predators dropped tonight's game by a score of 5-0.
Game Notes
1. If you want to know what a playoff team looks like, look no further than Boston. Obviously they are a good team with a 40-8-5 record, but the juxtaposition between the Bruins and the Predators was...shocking.
2. Nashville needed Filip Forsberg or someone to step up in his absence. Forsberg has been a main source of offense for the Preds most all season, and the timing of his injury highlights a need for other players to step up their offensive production.
3. The Predators aren't out of the playoff race yet, but tonight was a kick in the gut. Frustration boiled over in Bridgestone Arena, and the Predators crowd thinned early in the third. There will be plenty of mental work to do before the team takes the ice Saturday afternoon against the Florida Panthers.
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