Filip Forsberg's last second hat trick goal extended the game to overtime, but Nashville couldn't get the win against Logan Thompson and the Golden Knights.
The Nashville Predators headed to Vegas to wrap up 2022 with a New Year's Eve afternoon game against the Golden Knights. The Preds entered the game coming off of a 6-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, while the Golden Knights dropped their previous game to the Ducks in a shootout on Wednesday.
This game marked the first time Cody Glass returned to play against the team that used their first franchise draft pick to select him in 2017. Glass played 66 games with the Golden Knight before being traded to Nashville in 2021.
Kevin Lankinen got the nod in net on this second game of a back to back. Glass and his line mates Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund took the opening puck drop.
Logan Thompson started in net for the Golden Knights. Vegas was without several of their core group due to injuries, but the team at the top of the Pacific Division still had plenty of offensive weapons ready to take the ice. The Golden Knights are the best tam when it comes to rush chances, so Nashville needed to prepare for a fast game.
Game Recap
The game started with a flurry of action in front of Kevin Lankinen as the Golden Knights pressured early. The Preds needed a few minutes to get their bearings after the initial action, but Filip Forsberg got Nashville on the board first with a patient move around Thompson at 4:45.
The frantic pace of the game didn't slow down through the middle of the period. Both teams generated quality chances, but it was Jeremy Lauzon with his first goal of the season who scored with a shot from the circle at 11:22.
Vegas answered back at 15:56 with a point shot that was tipped past Lankinen by Keegan Kolesar to bring the Golden Knights within one. The opening period ended with Nashville up 2-1 despite being outshot by Vegas 13-9.
Vegas tied the game up early in the second period. with a well executed rush chance that resulted in Michael Amadio burying the puck at 1:43. The Golden Knights kept the fast pace and offensive pressure up as the period continued. A Reilly Smith slot shot gave Vegas their first lead of the game at 8:54.
A high hit on Mark Jankowski sent the forward down the tunnel at 9:02. Yakov Trenin took immediate exception to the hit and dropped the gloves with Brayden McNabb. McNabb received a match penalty, fighting, and game misconduct penalty, and Trenin received a fighting and game misconduct. The teams started with two minutes of four on four play, and Nashville was looking forward to a three minute power play. Unfortunately, a breakaway chance for Vegas resulted in a holding call against Roman Josi.
Nashville held on during the extended four on four, but couldn't generate any chances on the remaining one minute power play. The teams returned to five a side and Vegas continued their offensive pressure.
A crosschecking call on Jake Leschyshyn gave Nashville an opportunity for a two minute power play at 16:06. The Predators spent most of the two minutes in the offensive zone but couldn't capitalize on the man advantage. The period expired with Vegas in the lead 3-2.
The final period started with a turnover behind the net that nearly gave Vegas another goal, but Lankinen was able to scurry back in time to make a save. Vegas maintained offensive pressure, and it paid off at 4:42 as Mark Stone found an open Chandler Stephenson in the slot to give Vegas a two goal lead.
Alexandre Carrier headed to the box at 6:31 for a holding call, and the Golden Knights' power play went to work. Vegas spent the entire two minutes peppering and pressuring Lankinen, but somehow the Preds were able to prevent a special teams goal.
Lankinen came up big with two rush chance saves to keep Nashville within two scores. Nashville cut the lead to one at 11:42 as Forsberg tipped a blue line shot past Thompson to give the Preds some life.
The goal gave Nashville some life, and the Preds followed it up with a handful of shots on net. Nashville finally generated offensive zone time and pressured Thompson as the third period progressed.
As time would down Filip Forsberg was high sticked, and the Predators earned a power play with just 1:10 remaining in the game. Lankinen headed to the bench so the Preds could start the power play with a two man advantage. With just :03 remaining Filip Forsberg buried the puck past Thompson to tie the game and earn his 9th career hat trick.
Forsberg hit the post in the early seconds of overtime, but a delayed penalty gave Vegas a delayed penalty. Nicolas Hague cashed in to give the Golden Knights the overtime win.
Game Notes
1. Filip Forsberg is back on track. Forsberg opened the scoring with a vintage "Forsberg-esque" goal in the first period - his fifth goal in his last three games. If the Preds hope to make any kind of move up the rankings, the team will need Forsberg scoring.
2. Nashville struggled to generate extended offensive zone time in the first and second periods. The Preds spent much of this game defending and didn't spend enough time in front of Thompson. Nashville didn't get many chances on the rush because a clear meant the Preds often needed a line change.
3. This is what sixty minutes of hockey looks like. Nashville faced a tremendous amount of pressure in this game but continued to scrap and scrape their way back overtime. It isn't the outcome the Predators wanted, but it was a better performance than we've seen from the team in this season.