It wasn’t always pretty. In fact, there may only be a handful of moments from Nashville’s 3-2 victory over Chicago one could call any version of “beautiful”, but they got the job done regardless. Juuse Saros overcame two early goals and played lights out in the final 35 minutes of the game, while Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg added a goal a piece before the power play game-winner from Brady Skjei.
The Nashville Predators, looking to get their first attempt at a winning streak after Tuesday’s home win against Boston, visited the rival Chicago Blackhawks, despite entering the game without a goal scored on the road this season. Clearing those hurdles would turn into a difficult task, as the Predators found themselves in a two-goal deficit just twenty-five minutes into the game.
Former Predator Craig Smith opened the scoring just 2:55 into the game, as a misplayed puck by Tommy Novak turned into an odd-man rush the other way. Jeremy Lauzon committed sliding to defend the two on one play, so Luke Reichel made an easy pass to Smith across the crease and put the Hawks up 1-0 early in the first period.
While Nashville would finish the first period behind in shots on goal 13-10, but for intents and purposes, Chicago controlled the opening period with several high-danger chances, while the Predators could never sustain a successful offensive shift.
The Predators would start the second period completing a late first-period power play, but couldn’t get much going to lead things off. With the offense still directionless, Chicago would continue to dominate possession to start the period, and after an extended offensive shift by the home team, Alex Vlasic sent a cross-ice pass and found Connor Bedard between the circles, where the sophomore fired a wrister past Juuse Saros for a 2-0 lead with 14:46 remaining in the period.
Facing yet another multi-goal deficit, Nashville started to fire back, getting a power play chance after Nolan Allen held Roman Josi. Unfortunately, the majority of the penalty time was spent on the defensive, giving up several shorthanded chances to Chicago before finally getting a few of their own late into the second-unit’s time.
The momentum wouldn’t lass long, and with 7:48 left in the second, Chicago looked like they had taken a three-goal lead on their own power play, but the Nashville coaching staff reviewed the call for offsides, and the goal was overturned. With the penalty killed, Alex Carrier would get the entry pass to Gustav Nyquist, who would tuck the puck to a dashing Filip Forsberg. Forsberg would split the defenders and beat Petr Mrazek up high and Nashville would get it’s first road goal of the season and cut the deficit in half.
With the lead cut in half, the Predators would once again seek to build off the momentum, but once again, it would not come and Cole Smith would take the team’s third penalty of the night. Luckily for Nashville, their PK unit was the star of the evening, continuing their excellent play this season, nearly killing the Smith penalty before Michael McCarron would also head to the box, giving Chicago six seconds of 5 on 3 play before yet another penalty kill. However, the Predators would continue to be aggressive on the kill, before Gustav Nyquist would take the puck about 180 feet by himself, driving a two-on-two play shorthanded and sending a rocket past Mrazek and tying the game at two with 3:01 remaining.
The Predators would get a call their way shortly after the kill, but again, the Predators were unable to take advantage before the end of the period, and the relatively short advantage to start the third period was killed easily by Chicago. However, the tide had finally turned for the Preds in the final frame, as they dominated puck possession, drawing two additional penalties over the next 13 minutes before Brady Skjei would bury his second goal of the season on the power play, and Nashville would finally take their first road load of the season with under seven minutes left in regulation.
Looking like a team truly in control of the game, Nashville still faced yet another penalty kill (their fifth of the night), but the PK unit continued it’s relentless play, and remaining a perfect five for five shorthanded on the evening. Even with an empty net in the final two minutes, Chicago couldn’t get past Juuse Saros and the Predators would get their second win (2-5-0) of the season, before heading home for tomorrow’s back-to-back matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Three Stars of the Game
Third Star: Chicago F Connor Bedard: 1 goal, 1 point
Second Star: Chicago F Craig Smith: 1 goal, 1 point
First Star: Nashville F Gustav Nyquist: 1 shorthanded goal, 1 assist, 2 points