Matt Duchene scored early in the first period, but the Predators struggled to get shots on net and dropped their first game back from the All Star break in tough fashion.
The Nashville Predators returned to the ice after an extended All Star break tonight against the 29-18-4 Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has been one of the hottest teams in the league but are coming off a rough patch of injuries that led to a 2-6-2 record in their last ten games. Tonight backup goaltender Adin Hill got the start in net for the Golden Knights.
Nashville's last three games before the break were wins against playoff caliber teams the L.A. Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and New Jersey Devils. The Preds played some of their most complete, well executed games before the break but have struggled to get back in the groove after time off the ice in the past. Last season the Predators went 1-4 in their return to play after the All Star break.
Head coach John Hynes hoped to break that bad juju by starting the same lineup that was successful in those pre-break wins.
Game Recap
It took Nashville the first few minutes to shake off the rust and dust as they worked to connect on passes, set up in the offensive zone, and clear the puck from in front of their net. Juuse Saros was tested early by Vegas's extended zone time, but it was Nashville's Matt Duchene who got the scoring started at 5:04 off a well executed rush chance.
Nashville got sloppy on defense and a shot from the bottom of the left circle by Michael Amadio tied the game a minute and half later. Roman Josi fumbled the puck off the faceoff and William Carrier gave the Golden Knights the lead with a breakaway goal at 6:54. Vegas kept pouring it on when another misplayed puck resulted in breakaway chance and the leaky rebound was tapped home by Phil Kessel at 11:58 to make it 3-1. Juuse Saros kept it from being a 4-1 game with a big save on a two on one chance just moments later.
The Golden Knights' momentum was finally interrupted when Brayden McNabb was called for a trip on Nino Niederreiter. The first power play set up and moved the puck well, but once the puck was cleared neither group could get a shot on goal and the two minutes expired. The Predators hung on through the remainder of the period and headed to the locker room behind in shots on goal 12-4 and a score of 3-1.
The second period started with offensive zone time for the Preds, but it was Vegas who added to the score at 2:58 compliments of Chandler Stephenson. Saros felt he was interfered with on the goal, but head coach John Hynes opted not to challenge for goalie interference.
The Predators picked up the pace as the second period hit the halfway point having only recorded one shot on goal through the first ten minutes of play. At 13: 03, Jeremy Lauzon headed to the penalty box for interference, and Nashville's penalty kill took the ice. Despite extended time in front of Saros, the Preds were able to kill off the penalty. A holding call on Cody Glass at 16:55 gave the Golden Knights another chance on the man advantage. The penalty kill burned the two minutes, and the teams headed into the second intermission with Vegas up 4-1.
The final period started much the same way the first two period went - Nashville not able to finish on chances and Vegas getting shots on net. At 8:47 Nino Niederreiter and Alex Martinez each headed to their respective penalty boxes after frustration boiled over. The ice opened up during the four on four play, but neither team could capitalize.
The Predators pulled Saros with just over three minutes left, and at 16:54 William Carrier headed to the penalty box for a crosschecking penalty. Nashville played the two minutes at six on four, but despite chances couldn't capitalize. With one minute remaining in the game, Alex Petrangelo scored a 200 foot empty net goal to make the final score 5-1.
Game Notes
1. Execution issues in the first period by the Predators created challenges that were tough to overcome. Nashville struggled to clear the puck from the defensive zone, set up offensively, and play responsible defense early in the game, and those mistakes cost the Preds down the line.
2. Nashville was outshot...by a lot. The total shot count of 23-13 tells only part the story of this game. The Predators couldn't get shots through traffic, and after the first forty minutes the team only had six shots on goal. Shot lanes opened up a bit in the third, but the Preds struggled to find the back of the net through to the final buzzer.
3. This is not the return to play the team wanted. After three strong performances before the All Star break, this was not the game the Predators wanted to play. The team will have to wait until Saturday afternoon to correct the mistakes they made tonight and try to get back in the win column against the Philadelphia Flyers.