The Preds’ struggles continued today despite Steven Stamkos finally finding the back of the net.
Juuse Saros got the game started off with a big save on Vladimir Tarasenko, and the teams traded chances and zone time until — just after the ceremony celebrating his thousandth NHL game — Luke Schenn got the Preds on the board at 8:48. The goal gave both teams a break from the rising hostilities in a period that had already seen Brady Skjei briefly head down the tunnel.
Nashville continued to press, with a driving sequence from the Sissons line that seemed to put the Preds up 2-0 before a successful Detroit challenge had Colton Sissons’s goal overturned for offside. Instead, Tarasenko tied the game 1-1 just moments after the Nashville push. Turnovers continued to plague the Preds as the period wound down, with Saros forced to make some big stops.
Mark Del Gaizo took a penalty to start the second, giving the Red Wings’ power play a chance to pull their team ahead. They did so, as Saros made a great save but wasn’t able to corral the rebound, and Dylan Larkin tapped it into the net. Schenn promptly took another penalty. While the Preds were able to kill this one off, they weren’t able to regain the momentum.
Filip Forsberg and Lucas Raymond were sent off to the penalty box to serve coincidental minors for roughing late in the second, and the scoreless 4v4 was followed up by another Red Wings power play as Cole Smith. Michael McCarron made a great play to get the puck to Roman Josi, who rang iron on a shorthanded chance. Nashville continued to pour on the shots, with a spectacular solo effort from Gus Nyquist drawing a penalty and then immediately another one, giving the Preds a brief two-skater advantage with less than two minutes left in the second.
A last-second Stamkos shot knocked Detroit goalie Alex Lyon’s stick out of his hand and into the net, but the puck itself stayed out — this time. In the opening seconds of the third period, Stamkos tied the game with his first goal in gold.
The Red Wings got it back moments later as Alexandre Carrier failed to make a risky clear from the defensive zone and Andrew Copp got credit for capitalizing. 3-2 Red Wings at 3:29. Saros bailed the Preds out on another turnover, a Sissons fumble that gave Raymond a breakaway, as Nashville continued to struggle.
As the period wound down, the Preds grew desperate, throwing everything they had at Lyon but not managing to lock down their own end either. With a little over two minutes to go, Head Coach Andrew Brunette pulled Saros and the Preds made a last-ditch attempt to find another equalizer. It failed.
Simon Edvinsson grabbed another turnover and fired a laser at the empty net to give Detroit a two-goal lead with 1:17 remaining, and — despite Saros heading for the bench again — that did it for the game, especially after Copp scored another empty-netter.