Nashville got a much-needed road win today against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Golden Knights got a good chance early, but the honors of the first goal went to Luke Evangelista at 5:35. The teams then traded power-play opportunities, with Keegan Kolesar taking a holding penalty shortly after the goal, and Evangelista following up the Preds’ power play with a penalty of his own.
Nashville continued to press, but when they finally let up that pressure, the Golden Knights got themselves settled in the Preds’ d-zone and finally managed to convert on their possession with an Alex Pietrangelo goal at 14:09 to tie the game. The Preds responded, and Adin Hill had to make a fantastic save on Kiefer Sherwood with just over three minutes to go in the period.
Kevin Lankinen also had to be ready late, as Jonathan Marchessault swooped in on a breakaway and just missed the net, and the Preds came back for Cody Glass to score bar-down with under a minute remaining in the first to make it 2-1 Nashville. Unfortunately, with just six seconds left to go, Evangelista made a late hit and was called for interference.
The Preds got the penalty killed off, and Lankinen made a couple of massive saves through adversity–one without his stick–moments later. Michael Amadio hooked Evangelista, who was probably very glad to be on the right side of a penalty call for once, and Nashville went back to the power play. Although the Preds weren’t able to score on the power play itself, Tommy Novak scored just as it expired to make it 3-1 at 8:06.
Colton Sissons tripped Paul Cotter a few moments later, but Alex Carrier managed to draw a penalty while the Preds were killing it off, nullifying the rest of the disadvantage. Vegas had a good shorthanded chance, but Lankinen was able to handle it. Determined pressure from the Preds not only continued to make good watching, but let Cole Smith tip in a Michael McCarron shot to further extend the Preds’ lead at 15:58.
With just over a minute left in the period, Lankinen made a massive save on a Paul Cotter breakaway, then a few more saves in the ensuing scramble. Yakov Trenin took an interference penalty and Lankinen was once again called to the task before the buzzer sounded. Unfortunately, William Karlsson opened the third period by scoring on the interrupted power play, just 47 seconds in.
Vegas continued to press, aggressive not only with the puck but also physically, for several minutes before the Preds started to get their feet back under them. The teams traded chances during end-to-end play, before Evangelista drew his second penalty of the night, sending Marchessault off to the box and the Preds to the power play.
The Golden Knights were able to kill off the penalty, but didn’t immediately go full-throttle onto the attack. Surprisingly, despite the deficit, Hill was still in the net with three minutes left in regulation when Michael Amadio made it a one-goal game. It was almost fifty more seconds before Hill headed to the bench and the extra attacker came on.
Gustav Nyquist promptly cleared the puck into the empty net, and that was it for the game, though the Golden Knights continued to make the Preds work for their win.