NASHVILLE - The Nashville Predators (3-2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 Central Division win over the St. Louis Blues (3-4-1) on Saturday night. The Predators were outshot and gave up five power-play opportunities, but turned up the pressure in Bridgestone Arena and closed out the week's homestand with a crucial win.
"Well, we liked the result," Andrew Brunette said. "The process early on wasn't towards the game plan. We knew they were going to be a little bit desperate. They're the fastest-starting team in the league in the first period. I just didn't think we got to our game the correct way. I didn't think we took enough pride with the puck. I think we left it in bad spots, fed their rush game, they're a really fast team.
"I thought as the game went on, we started doing those things. I really liked our third period. I thought that's what good teams do in the third period, even though your first two weren't great, it speaks to the leadership that they're able to grab it. Got some big penalty kills, Juice made a big save, and got some timely goals in the third, so it's a big win for us. I just think, dealing with this little homestand and heading onto the road into a real tough stretch of the season here, we've got a few days here to breathe a little bit and get back to work."
St. Louis took the lead early after taking early control. The Blues maintained possession in the Predators' defensive zone for the first five minutes and capped it off with a goal after Mason McTavish slipped a pass into the slot for Philip Broberg. Broberg fired the fifth St. Louis shot on goal past Juuse Saros, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Blues opened the door for Nashville to bounce back when Adam Jiricek put the Predators on a power play with a tripping penalty. Halfway through the penalty, the Predators earned a penalty shot when St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington tossed his stick at Jonathan Marchessault. Marchessault deked Binnington at 8:40 for his second goal of the season and the first successful Nashville penalty shot.
The Predators capitalized on the budding momentum with a gorgeous play between Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg. Stamkos took Forsberg's pass in front of the net and fired a shot that Binnington blocked, but Forsberg picked up the rebound and wrapped the puck around the back of the net for his first goal of the season, giving Nashville a 2-1 lead at 12:22.
Special teams took over in the second period as Nashville killed St. Louis' first power play to open the action. Vitali Pinchuk put the Blues back on the power play with a tripping penalty at 5:58, and things got interesting.
Adam Edstrm and Roman Josi got the Predators on a shorthanded breakaway, and the pair combined for a shorthanded goal. Josi carried the puck across the blue line and found Edstrm streaking to the net, who tipped it in to give Nashville a 3-1 lead. The Blues struck back immediately, capitalizing on their power play with beautiful passing as Jake Neighbours found Jimmy Snuggerud wide open on Saros' backside, bringing it back to a one-goal game at 3-2 at 7:36.
Nick Perbix picked up a holding penalty for the Predators in the final moments of the period, but Nashville's defense buckled down and killed St. Louis' third power play of the game, taking a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
Nashville opened the third period like a team eager to move on from two blown leads this season and hungry to close out the game. Stamkos found his second assist of the night, dumping the puck to Ryan O'Reilly at the crease at 2:50. O'Reilly followed his own rebound and poked it past Binnington, giving the Predators a 4-2 lead. Nashville extended the lead to three goals five minutes later when Jack Drury deflected Josi's shot for his first goal in a Predators uniform.
The Predators get four days off then hit the road for two games, starting with a matchup at Boston on Thursday, Oct. 22.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/predators/onsi as Nashville Closes Homestand With Big Win Over Central Division Foe .
