The Nashville Predators defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in a 6-5 win, but there were several positives and negatives in the overtime win.
The Nashville Predators traveled to Raleigh after two days off, and flew home with two points after a hard fought overtime win. Juuso Pärssinen got the Predators on the scoreboard first, but the first period ended with Carolina leading 2-1 after scoring two power play goals. The second period was a flurry of offensive action as Nashville got goals from Roman Josi, Ryan O'Reilly, and Tyson Barrie while Jalen Chatfield, Sebastian Aho, and Martin Necas scored for Carolina. Nashville was able to tie the game up in the third period as Jeremy Lauzon scored midway through the period. Filip Forsberg scored the overtime winner less than a minute into extra time to give the Preds the win.
There was plenty to like about Nashville's performance but also a few lapses that cost the team momentum and goals. Here are three positives and negatives from the Carolina win.
Positives
Filip Forsberg
Forsberg got an assist on Ryan O'Reilly's power play goal in the second period, but it was his quick overtime goal to win the game that has many the league talking.
This was Forsberg's second overtime winner in consecutive games after scoring just :18 into overtime Tuesday night against Philadelphia. Last night's goal was Forsberg's sixteenth of the season, his eleventh multipoint game, and he is on track for a career highs in goals and points. Nashville top goal scorer is currently on pace to score 44 goals and 96 points this season. Playing with Ryan O'Reilly and Gus Nyquist is paying off at five on five, but it's Forsberg's ability to show up in the big moments that proved GM Barry Trotz was right when he decided Forsberg was the veteran forward this team could build around.
Offensive Production
Nashville generated plenty of offensive chances last night against a usually stingy Carolina defense. The teams each recorded nine high danger chances, but Nashville had the advantage when it came to expected goals for.
The Predators had six different goal scorers scored by three defensemen and three forwards. Tyson Barrie recorded his first goal of the season on a break out — the third goal scored between the two teams in less than a minute. Ryan O'Reilly scored a power play goal on one of Nashville's three chances after the Preds didn't capitalize on the man advantage once against Philadelphia.
Game Management
Andrew Brunette has preached managing the ebbs and flow in a game, and tonight Nashville was able to withstand and respond to quick momentum changes. After getting the first goal, the Predators ended the first period down 2-1. When Carolina scored two goals in :19 seconds in the middle period, Nashville was able counter with offensive chances and eventually capitalized on the power play opportunity midway through the period. This was a game that could have gotten out of hand for the Preds, but the team was able to ride out the storms and quickly get back to their game plan.
Negatives
Penalty Kill
The Predators' penalty kill struggled early in the season but had found its footing recently, only allowing two power play goals on 22 chances in the month of December. Tonight was the exception as Carolina, a middle of the pack team when it comes to scoring on the man advantage, got two goals on three power play chances. Both of those scores came as Alexandre Carrier or Yakov Trenin, both important penalty killers, sat in the box.
Turnovers in the Defensive Zone
Two Carolina goals were direct results of turnovers trying to exit the D zone. Sebastian Aho scored at 5:09 in the second period after Tommy Novak turned the puck over at the blue line, and then four-and-a-half minutes later an errant pass to the slot by Alexandre Carrier went past Juuso Pärssinen and onto the tape of Martin Necas who scored. The Predators want to play a fast transition game, but they have to make better decisions and better passes. Lankinen had little chance of making those saves after the turnovers.
The Predators have areas they need to clean up before tonight's game against the Washington Capitals. It is reassuring that despite some bad decisions and mistakes, the Predators were able to eke out two points against a solid Carolina team.
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