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Nashville Predators 3, Montreal Canadiens 1: Two Points and a Puppy

Posted on by Chris Brooks

The Nashville Predators had a pretty good day on Thursday.

They introduced a new four-legged member of the team, scored a few goals and celebrated David Poile’s birthday with a 3-1 victory.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak and pulled the Predators back within two points of Central-leading Winnipeg, as the Jets fell to Colorado in regulation on Thursday.

Early energy was again the emphasis from the Predators, as Nashville put six shots on goal in the first 80 seconds of the contest.

Brendan Gallagher went off for high-sticking Rocco Grimaldi at 5:53 of the first. Two minutes passed.

Johansen was called for holding the stick at 8:44 and while Montreal spent most of the next two minutes in Nashville’s end, the game remained scoreless.

Nashville went back to the man-advantage with 5:52 to play in the first after Artturi Lehkonen was called for holding. Two more minutes passed.

Montreal had the first 10 shots on goal in the second period.

Ryan Hartman tapped home a rebound off a Craig Smith slap shot for the game’s first goal at 9:49 of the second period. It was Hartman’s first goal since Dec. 13, breaking a 27-game scoreless drought.

Viktor Arvidsson had a breakaway chance late in the second period, but after faking a slap shot and moving in on Carey Price, his chance didn’t go.

Dale Wiese high-sticked Yannick Weber to put the Predators back on the power play 2:59 into the third period.

Tomas Tatar put the Canadiens on the board at 5:26 of the third, but the Predators responded with Brian Boyle’s first goal as a member of the Predators at the 8:36 mark.

Arvidsson scored his 26th goal of the season with nine minutes left, finishing a passing play from Ryan Johansen that began with a turnover in the neutral zone.

Random Observations

  • No Mattias Ekholm due to illness. Matt Irwin in.
  • Four shots on goal from the Preds in the first 35 seconds? Okay then.
  • Cheers to Shea Weber for game No. 900.
  • An awful sequence in front of Pekka Rinne, and yet Montreal doesn’t even get a shot on goal somehow.
  • Matt Irwin pinching down like that is not something I expected to see tonight.
  • The unselfish play isn’t always the best play.
  • An actual dangerous chance on the power play, consider me stunned.
  • Montreal making a push to begin the second and it appears the Preds are in nap mode.
  • The Preds are definitely in siesta territory in the middle period.
  • So much garbage on the power play from both sides.
  • Might be the understatement of the night, but Ryan Hartman NEEDED that goal badly.
  • Pekka Rinne, folks.
  • Good 2-on-1 save by Rinne…on a Nashville power play.
  • Hard to stop anything with that pass across the crease.
  • What a bullet from Boyle.
  • What a pass from Joey.
  • Think the refs missed on that delay of game call. /

Three Stars of the Game

  1. Boyle. We are seeing what they saw in getting Boyle, and that goal certainly helps.
  2. Rinne. One goal aside, that’s the Pekka Rinne we’re used to seeing.
  3. Arvidsson. 26 goals for the third consecutive season and he’s not slowing down.

Tweets of the Night

Game Video

Talking Points