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Nashville Predators 3, Carolina Hurricanes 5: Canes Continue Winning Streak Against Predators

Posted on by Hayley Alexandra

The Nashville Predators had a few days off after Tuesday night’s repeat overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild. While in theory a break is always good, that wasn’t the case for the Predators coming into Saturday night’s contest against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Nashville was without a key piece of their offense as it was announced before the game that Filip Forsberg is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Forsberg’s absence saw recently acquired Mikael Granlund sliding into the top line. The real test would be for Carolina coming off an ugly 8-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Friday night.

As it turns out that ugly loss had the Canes in their feelings for the first period and they took advantage of the Preds stumbling through penalties to secure a 2-0 lead. Both goals came from Nino Niederreiter.

The second period saw a little more life from the Predators, with Craig Smith putting them on the board with the assists from Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. They still weren’t able to capitalize on their power play opportunities, but luckily neither were the Hurricanes.

Carolina opened the third with a power play goal from Justin Williams. The Preds would battle to close the gap early with a goal from Brian Boyle. It wouldn’t be enough to deter the Canes, who snuck another one past Juuse Saros, digging the Preds into another hole.

Late in the third Granlund was able to put one past Petr Mrázek off a feed from Ryan Johansen. The goal was waved off initially as goaltender interference on Boyle, who was shoved into Mrazek. The Predators challenged and upon further review the goal stood. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be enough for the Preds to tie the game and push another overtime, with Sebastian Aho sealing the deal with the empty net goal.

Random Observations

  • Hopefully the weather isn’t an omen for this game…
  • Thirty seconds into the game and we’re already in the box. Blame it on the rain?
  • Penalty killed and then Matt Irwin to the box.
  • Roman Josi to the box.
  • Penalties killed.
  • Bridgestone is loud after that.
  • So far the Gnash tribute video to Scott Hartnell has stolen the show.
  • A power play chance for the Preds…
  • Hurricanes on the board first. Honestly surprised it took them this long with all the opportunities the Preds gave them.
  • That was a terrible first period for the Preds. They’re gonna want that twenty minutes back.
  • Craig Smith lighting the lamp, and we have ourselves a hockey game.
  • Will the Preds ever score another power play goal…
  • Juuse Saros is the only thing keeping this game from spiraling out of control.
  • Less than 10 seconds left in the period and Subban takes a penalty. Really?
  • That was a much better period for the Predators but they’re still playing catchup going into the third.
  • You can’t give a team that many power play chances and not expect them to capitalize. Not every team in the league is as bad as the Preds on the power play.
  • The Preds have a Petr Mrázek problem.
  • I spoke too soon! Goal, Boyle!
  • Well that was short-lived.
  • A Sebastian Aho breakaway chance that turned into a Rocco Grimaldi breakaway chance. This game has been…something.
  • We have a Mikael Granlund goal!
  • We also have a goal review…there’s a good possibility this one gets overturned.
  • It got overturned.
  • Oh…Lavy is going to challenge. This should be interesting.
  • Goal! The goal stands! Amazing.
  • The weather was an omen. /

OTF Super Duper Stars of the Game

  • Juuse Saros — He deserved better, but he kept the Preds in this one.
  • Gnash’s tribute video to Scott Hartnell — regardless of how many questions I now have.
  • Scott Hartnell’s flow. /

Tweets of the Night

Talking Points