After a 13-day hiatus, the Nashville Predators opened up a four-game homestand on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche winning 2-1.
“I thought it was a committed win. We really committed to managing the puck and limiting their rush offense,” head coach Andrew Brunette said. “The emphasis on staying above the pucks and putting it in areas to give us an opportunity. I still think we can be sharper in those things but it was a gutsy win with that checking mentality and cleaned things up all over the ice.”
Goaltender Juuse Saros made 31 saves in the win against the Avalanche. It’s Saros’ third win when making 29 or more saves in a game this season. He’s now 3-7-1 overall when doing so.
“I thought he was sharp. After getting to know him you can kind of tell with his focus,” Brunette said of Saros’ play. “When he’s a little off you see some guessing in this game and I thought he was dialed in and not moving a whole lot… Felt like he saw the pucks really well and reacted really well. He has the ability to make those saves at the end of a game and that’s his skill set, not too many guys in the league can do that.”
Both the Avalanche and the Predators were knocking off the rust as the contest got started. Few shots came from inside the slot, and play in the offensive zones was short-lived.
Saros kept the Avalanche off the board in the first period after making a desperation save on Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen after a shot hit him in the mask. Then Nashville had forward Tommy Novak ring a shot off the post and both teams left the opening frame with nothing finding the back of the net.
Less than two minutes into the second period a pair of goals were scored. First, it was Colorado D-man Sam Malinksi who shot a howitzer past Saros to make it 1-0. Jonathan Drouin found him on a drop pass to get on the board first.
Then D-man Justin Barron scored against his original NHL team 31 seconds later to even it up 1-1. Nashville had traffic in front as Barron fired a wrist shot past Wedgewood.
“We got out forecheck, put a puck in and we were able to get it back. A little bit of chaos in front of their net with a couple of looks there,” Sissons said. “I ended up escaping out from traffic and found Barron. A seeing eye shot from him and great traffic in front by (Cole Smith). Sometimes it’s the simple recipe.”
That was all the action on the scoreboard in the second stanza. Nashville held Colorado off the board during the only powerplay to this point in the contest.
Nashville’s defensive effort was stout in the third period and it led to a handful of valuable chances on offense.
One offensive possession saw defenseman Luke Schenn fire a shot off the back wall and the puck caromed to the left side of the net. Jonathan Marchessault buried his 18th goal of the season to put his team up 2-1 with 10:49 to play.
“We got a little bit of a bounce and it was a game that we probably needed a bounce,” Brunette said. “I didn’t think our puck play was as sharp as it has been which is expected. I think our heart was in the right place and when it’s in the right place it gives you an opportunity to win games like tonight.”
Lehkonen was handed a double minor for high-sticking Barron with just over two minutes to play.
Nashville hung on for the win to pick up play after the 4 Nations Face-off break.
The Predators are back in action tomorrow night against the New Jersey Devils to conclude the first of five back-to-backs before the end of the season
The puck drop is set for 5 p.m. with Pete Weber and Jay More on the call right here on 102.5 The Game. Max Herz is hosting the pre and postgame show with updates during intermissions.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of Nashville Predators
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