NASHVILLE - Nashville inserted a brand new player into the lineup on Tuesday, and he helped the Predators take down the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Newly acquired Center Shane Wright didn't officially notch a point on the scoresheet, but the former top-five draft pick was instrumental in Nashville's efforts to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Wright slid in as Nashville's second center, between Filip Forsberg and Nils Hglander, and played 14:32 on 16 shifts, blocking a shot and winning 7-of-13 faceoffs in his first night on Broadway.
"It was fun. It was fun," Wright said. "A lot of energy in the building. The fans are awesome. It was a bit of a crazy 48 hours, but it was a good game. It was fun."
While he didn't score a point, his linemate, Filip Forsberg, tallied his fifth straight multi-point game this year, assisting on Nashville's first and second goals in the 4-1 victory. Wright was instrumental in the first goal, winning a puck behind Pyotr Kochetkov's net to keep possession in Carolina's end, before the puck found Forsberg's stick.
"Yeah, Hoggie [Nils Hglander] and I were battling in the corner, and he won a puck out to Fil [Forsberg] on the half-wall, and obviously Fil made a great play, backdoor to Perbie [Nick Perbix], and Perbie made an unreal shot to put that one in," Wright said. "That was a nice goal."
Wright was traded from Seattle to Nashville for Matthew Wood on Sunday, and he emphasized his offensive ability and competitive spirit when assessing what he adds to the Predators' lineup.
"Yeah, just want to add some pace, want to add some competitiveness," Wright said. "I want to try to bring some offensive flair, create plays and create offense, and be a guy that can play 200 feet as well, play up and down the lineup, and I felt like I brought some of that last night for sure."
Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette noted Wright's pace, something general manager Chris MacFarland pointed to after the trade, and noted how he fit in with Forsberg in his first game in a Predators uniform.
"Yeah, I really liked the pace he played at," Brunette said. "Kind of a little bit of what I was expecting. I thought their line was good - and Fil - I thought Fil, at different times, was at another level tonight, which is fun to see. And I thought Shane fit in really well. The way he got on pucks and the way he skated, a few of those times really took off. It was good to see."
Wright got the stamp of approval from the coaching staff and front office, but perhaps most importantly, he received a positive review from Forsberg, Nashville's all-time goals leader.
"I liked it," Forsberg said. "I thought it was good. I think he's going to fit in real well here. I liked our line. We're trying to stay close to each other, and obviously, the first game, it's a lot that's new for him. I thought he played well. I thought he managed the puck well. I thought he was skating well and generated a couple chances for us as well."
It's only one game, but a positive performance in which Wright creates chances for Forsberg to shine, and the Predators defeat the defending champions, is certainly a strong sign of a successful trade.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/predators/onsi as Shane Wright Fits In Fast With Filip Forsberg in First Game for Nashville .
