The Nashville Predators took down the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime on Saturday afternoon. They’re now 2-7 in the extra frame this season and now 2-0 when a fan tosses a catfish on the ice right before the opening faceoff.
Defenseman Nick Blankenburg was the hero as he was along the post to bury a loose puck. Filip Forsberg was initially trying to pass him the puck but opted to shoot the puck at Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.
“I feel like I’ve had some good chances over the last little bit so I just continued to trust my game. Very thankful for the opportunity to go out there during OT and happy I was able to score,” Blankenburg said.
Blankenburg stayed in position to score his first NHL overtime game-winner and first as a member of the Predators organization.
“I’ve been trying a lot of different things, it hasn’t gone our way, and I think he’s a really good skater, he’s very mobile, moves the puck, and sees the ice well,” head coach Andrew Brunette said of Blankenburg. “We’re getting a better feel of the type of player that he is and he has risen up to every challenge we’ve given him and he did it tonight.”
OH BABY. OT WIN. pic.twitter.com/M0kaJuNnp7
— Predators On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Predators) December 21, 2024
Predators goalie Justus Annunen won his first start at home since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche back on Nov. 30. He made 22 saves on 24 shots faced against the Kings.
“What I feel when he’s in net is he’s pretty quiet. I don’t feel there’s a lot of movement, he seems in control, seems to have poise back there,” Brunette said of Annunen’s play. “You never feel vulnerable so far, it’s only been a few games, but I’ve thought he’s played very well.”
Nashville got on the board first in the opening frame 14 minutes into the contest as the second line went to work.
Forward Gustav Nyquist went from a loose puck in the right corner and out of the corner of his eye he saw rookie Zach L’Heureux in the slot.
L’Heureux picked his fourth goal after Nyquist dished his precision pass with pressure coming from Kings defenseman Jordan Spence.
GO GET YOURS ROOK. pic.twitter.com/6clbJmOzsa
— Predators On FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Predators) December 21, 2024
Through 20 minutes of action, Nashville was being outshot 11-5 but dominated physically with nine hits against the red-hot Kings who entered the game 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Neither team could find the back of the net through the first 10 minutes of the second period and shortly after Predators fans thought Jonathan Marchessault scored a goal.
While Marchessault did beat Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper he hooked former Predators forward Tanner Jeannot to strip him of the puck. It was a brief delay of game, but it was enough time to call off the goal to keep it 1-0 Nashville.
Annunen didn’t see a shot on net as the Predators’ penalty kill kept the Kings’ powerplay unit at bay and away from the middle of the ice.
Then in his return to the lineup, Roman Josi came up with a huge play in the final minutes of the second. Nashville took a 2-0 lead as Josi broke into the offensive zone and dangled past defenseman Kyle Burroughs to then find Marchessault on the back post to tap in his tenth goal of the season.
Following 40 minutes of play the Predators continued to execute their system well and make the most of the play in front of them. Nashville had 15 hits and 31 shot attempts.
“In the second period, we got into our territorial half-ice game I think when we’re playing our game that’s what it looks like,” Brunette said. “When we’re on it we’re hounding it, that’s kind of what it looks like. It was a good second. Every line contributed and everybody pulled the rope.”
Los Angeles came out fervently trying to set up offensively. Annunen continued to pitch a stellar performance, making all 16 saves. He stopped one point-blank against Kings captain Anze Kopitar with 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
Then Quinton Byfield put the Kings on the board with 10:36 to play as Warren Foegele found him for a quick wrist shot in the slot. Annunen didn’t anticipate that quick of a transition from behind his net for the Kings to make it a 2-1 contest.
The Kings forced overtime with 6:37 remaining in regulation as Alex Laferriere beat Annunen in the blue ice to make it 2-2 after Joel Edmundson fired a shot on net from the top of the offensive zone.
Nashville started Josi, O’Reilly, and Marchessault for the extra frame of action, but it was the second unit that came over the boards to end the game.
Blankenburg notched his first goal in a gold jersey to give Nashville their tenth win of the season just three days before Christmas Eve.
“I thought [Forsberg] was going to give to me around the hash and in my head I knew I was going to shoot it,” Blankenburg said. “Somehow was able to find that little area and thankfully the puck to me in the end and after that you kind of blackout.”
Up next the Predators conclude their homestand against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday evening.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of the Nashville Predators
CATFISH ON THE ICE BEFORE GAME WITH THE PITTS. LAST THURSDAY! I WATCH EVERY GAME FROM COVENTRY, ENGLAND. IT AIN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. LGP & TITANUP N.JOY THE HOLIDAY Y’ALL.