Nashville snaps a five game losing streak and earns the franchise's 900th win in well executed win over the St. Louis Blues.
Head coach John Hynes made a few lineup changes before tonight's game against the St. Louis Blues hoping to spark the team as they looked to overcome a five game losing streak.
Eeli Tolvanen and Kiefer Sherwood were healthy scratches for the Predators.
The St. Louis Blues were missing two of their forwards as Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad were out due to injury. Back up goaltender Thomas Greiss started in net in this second game of the Blues' back to back.
Game Recap
The action started early as Robert Thomas threaded the puck through traffic and sent it past Juuse Saros at 1:07. St. Louis threatened almost immediately after their quick goal and earned themselves a power play as Dante Fabbro committed a hooking infraction. Cole Smith broke away for a shorthanded attempt but couldn't score on Greiss. The Predators killed off the remainder of the penalty.
Nashville bounced back from the penalty kill with extended offensive zone time. The Preds didn't convert the zone time into many high danger looks but limited St. Louis' chances to just one shot on goal through a long stretch of the opening period. Nashville got their first power play chance at 14:52 when Brayden Schenn committed a hold, and the Predators went to work against the 100% successful Blues power play.
Nashville pressured on the power play, but it was just after the two minutes expired that Tanner Jeannot got the Predators on the board as he scored on a juicy rebound at 16:56. The first period ended with the game tied at 1-1.
Nashville pressured early in the second period, but Roman Josi was flagged for a crosscheck at 4:28. Saros made an incredible blocker save to start on the kill, but Brayden Schenn found the back of the net just before the power play expired to give the Blues the lead once again.
Dante Fabbro was flagged for a high stick in an aggressive board battle almost immediately, and the Blues headed back on the power play. Saros handled the repeated pressure from the Blues on the man advantage, and Nashville was able to kill that penalty.
The Predators had trouble getting the puck through the neutral zone for a stretch while the Blues were able to enter the offensive zone repeatedly through the second period. Nashville regrouped in the waning minutes of the period and returned offensive pressure. Michael McCarron tied the game with a greasy rebound goal at 15:47.
Another fourth liner for Nashville - and former St. Louis Blues player - Zach Sanford got in on the action with a beautiful wrap around goal :37 seconds later to give the Predators their first lead of the game. The second period ended with back and forth action and a score of 3-2 Nashville.
The Herd Line began the final period for the Predators, but it was the newly constructed top line that got the Preds on the board again. Ryan Johansen cleaned up another big rebound at 1:11 to put the Preds up 4-2.
The temperature rose as Yakov Trenin was launched on an obvious trip/interference call giving the Predators another chance on the power play. Roman Josi's point shot ricocheted behind Greiss to give the Predators a 5-3 lead and handed the Blues their first goal against on their penalty kill.
The Blues went empty net with a little over six minutes remaining in the game and began pressuring Saros to try and work their way back into the game. They had several solid chances, but Mikael Granlund took the cleared puck from a tripping Matt Duchene and scored an empty net goal.
Greiss returned in net for the final minutes of the game, and both goaltenders prevented any further scoring.
Nashville struggled in games this season to maintain pressure with a third period lead, but the team appeared to learn from their mistakes as they continued to execute offensive pressure, aggressive board battles, and cleaner zone exits through to the final buzzer. As the game ended, the crowd at Bridgestone Arena roared their appreciation, and the Predators snapped their five game losing streak with a solid divisional win.
Game Notes
1. Tonight Josi earned his first points since the trip to Europe. There are several players who have yet to get going this season, but Roman Josi's points drought is was perhaps the most concerning. Getting the captain involved in offensive production will be important if the Predators want to continue to collect points.
2. While many in Nashville were focused on the changes in the top six, the bottom six impressed with their three goals and their responsible defense. McCarron and Sanford each scored and Cole Smith threatened several times as well. Generating scoring up and down the Preds lineup is something the team hasn't had yet this season, so tonight was a reassuring performance.
3. Tonight the team earned the Nashville Predators 900th franchise win. While the team has struggled early this season, that was a signature game and a worthy franchise benchmark to celebrate.
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