Author’s note: Our fearless leader Kate handled recapping in the first period for me, as I was traveling from a 5th grade recital. Thank you Kate!
First Period
The Preds got out to a strong start early, peppering Jonas Johansson with shots, but did give up a few two-on-ones the opposite direction. A brief scuffle early on resulted in no penalties, but the Bolts got a power play chance when Michael McCarron high-sticked Alex Barré-Boulet. The Preds were able to kill off the penalty, even getting a quick shorthanded chance, but the Lightning pressed into their zone and put Saros to work.
Barré-Boulet eventually scored, at the end of a massive shift by the Lightning, but the Preds soon got a chance to respond when Steven Stamkos grabbed Gustav Nyquist’s stick and got sent to the penalty box.
Nyquist rang iron almost immediately; Filip Forsberg appeared to score and had it waved off for contact with the goaltender; but Juuso Pärssinen finally scored for real before the power play expired.
Second Period
Nashville came out looking solid early in the second frame, blocking a couple of shot attempts in the first minute and generating a solid chance going the other way soon after. Saros was able to make a couple of easy saves as both teams got back up to speed after the intermission. A high-sticking call on Brandon Hagel would give Nashville another chance at the power play, and the Predators wasted no time. Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist connected with Filip Forsberg at the top of the circle and Forsberg sent home his 14th goal of the season and Nashville had their first lead of the night, 2-1.
But there wasn’t much time to appreciate it – the Predators scored again just two minutes later after Ryan McDonagh put in a rebound to get his first goal of the season against his former team at 15:28.
Not long after, another very questionable holding call on Kiefer Sherwood sent the Predators to the penalty kill. After some really great defensive play and a couple of scrums with Lightning players, the penalty was killed and Sherwood was out of the box – their second successful kill of the evening.
After some chances back and forth, Roman Josi would be called for a tripping call that actually deserved to be penalty, and the Predators went on their third penalty kill of the night, hoping to kill all three. After a strong effort by Nashville kept Tampa out of the offensive zone for the first half of the penalty, the Bolts would get a couple of chances on Saros but ultimately couldn’t convert, and the captain came out of the box with 7:23 left in the second – the Preds now 3 for 3 shorthanded.
Tampa would apply more pressure in the final minutes of the period, and Filip Forsberg would get called for high-sticking with just 2:06 left in the game, forcing Nashville to their fourth penalty kill of the night. Tampa came fast and furious, hoping to cut the lead in half before heading to the intermission, but some stellar work by Juuse Saros kept the Predators a perfect 4/4 on the penalty kill for the evening (3/3 this period), and Nashville headed to the locker room after two period, up 3-1.
Third Period
Another period, another quick penalty to start. This time Alex Barre-Boulet gets called, but Nashville is unable to convert and don’t score on the power play for the first time tonight, now just 2/3. Still, both teams kept up the pace, getting a couple shots on net before Roman Josi fired an absolute laser from the top of the circle, beating Johansson once again on his glove side, and the Predators extended their lead to 4-1 with 13:49 remaining in the game.
Nashville wouldn’t let up, immediately following the goal with more pressure in Tampa’s zone. The increased forechecking pressure applied by the Predators led to some frustration, as former Pred Austin Watson dropped the gloves with Cole Smith at 9:47 left in the game – both went off for 5 minute majors.
After that, Tampa decided to make an aggressive move by pulling the goaltender with 8:47 left in the game, and they would be rewarded with a Yakov Trenin empty net goal at 6:47, and the Predators extend their lead to 5-1 and Tampa head coach Jon Cooper would put Johansson back in net to end this one.
Tampa did their best to keep up the fight with just minutes left, but it was nothing doing, and the Predators walked out of the building 5-1 winners over Tampa Bay.
Three Stars of the Game
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Roman Josi (1G, 1A)
⭐️⭐️ Juuse Saros (32/33)
⭐️Ryan McDonagh (1G, 1A)
They Said It – Postgame Comments
Ryan McDonagh
Filip Forsberg
Tommy Novak
Juuso Parssinen
Head Coach Andrew Brunette