Nashville Predators Fall to St. Louis Blues, 4-1, in Third Straight Loss

The Nashville Predators (25-34-8, 58 points) fell to the St. Louis Blues (34-28-7, 75 points) by a final score of 4-1 Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.

Jordan Kyrou scored two goals to lead the Blues, and Dylan Holloway registered his first career three-assist game. Jake Neighbors and Justin Faulk also added two points apiece for St. Louis, while Brady Skjei scored the lone goal for the Predators.

Juuse Saros – playing in his 400th career NHL game – made 17 saves in the loss for Nashville, while Joel Hofer made 22 saves in the win.

The loss marks Nashville's third straight following four straight wins. The Predators have scored just two total goals in their last three games.

Forsberg-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Bunting-Sissons-Marchessault
L'Heureux-Svechkov-Evangelista
Bellows-McCarron-Smith

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Stastney
Englund-Barron

Saros
Annunen

Extra: Oesterle, Vrana
IR: Lauzon, Wilsby, Josi

The Predators got into some early penalty trouble when Zach L'Heureux was whistled for tripping at the 4:42 mark of the first period. St. Louis made their power play opportunity count, with Justin Faulk scoring on a one-timer at the 6:04 mark.

The Blues padded their lead in the final minutes of the period when Jake Neighbours received a pass off the rush from Faulk and Robert Thomas, went forehand-to-backhand and tucked the puck behind Saros to make it 2-0 at the 18:15 mark.

There were some fireworks early in the second period, when Michael McCarron laid a huge hit on Pavel Buchnevich behind the St. Louis net. Neighbours came to Buchnevich's defense and dropped the gloves with McCarron, who quickly took him down in the scrap. 

McCarron was called for a five-minute major for the hit on Buchnevich, and the call was upheld after official review. As a result, McCarron was assessed a game misconduct, as well as an additional five minutes for fighting. Neighbours got two for roughing and five for fighting, and Buchnevich exited the game with members of the Blues' training staff.

With just over a minute remaining in the frame, Jordan Kyrou caught Saros out of position in the crease and beat him with a near side shot to extend St. Louis' lead to 3-0. 

Brady Skjei played spoiler to the Blues' shutout bid with a buzzer beater at the `19:59 mark of the second period. Steven Stamkos collected the loose puck along the boards and found Skjei high in the slot for the one-timer to cut Nashville's deficit to 3-1 just as time expired.

Filip Forsberg was credited with a secondary assist on the goal, extending his home point streak against the Blues to nine games dating back to Nov. 21, 2018 (5-8—13). He has posted just one longer run in his career against a single opponent (11 games vs. CBJ; active).

Buchnevich returned to the game for St. Louis in the third period following the hit from McCarron in the second.

Kyrou scored his second of the night at the 13:45 mark of the third period, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Holloway following a offensive zone face-off for the 4-1 final.

The Predators continue their three-game home stand on Thursday, when they host the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena.