Tag: Nashville Predators

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Penguins aim to extend their winning streak against the Predators

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)

The Pittsburgh Penguins may have finally found their form.

The Nashville Predators, on the other hand, have some reasons to feel positive about their situation, even though their season has been tough.

With a three-game point streak, the Penguins are hoping to stop the Predators from winning back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months when the teams play Thursday in Nashville.

Pittsburgh struggled during the first 23 games of the season, winning only seven games and never managing to win two in a row until Nov. 23. Since then, the Penguins have gone 7-2-1 and earned five points in their last three games, including a 3-2 overtime win over the Kings in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk scored his first goal as a Penguin to tie the game late in the third period, and Rickard Rakell scored the winner 1:44 into overtime. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 29 shots for Pittsburgh, which believes it may have turned the corner.

“Going back to last season, where we (went) on that hot stretch at the end of the season (closing 8-2-2), I think it’s kind of the same feeling we had then,” Rakell told the Penguins’ official website.

“We’re starting to get in (the dressing) room right now.”

Rakell has scored half of his team-leading 14 goals in the last 10 games and also added five assists during this period.

Teammate Sidney Crosby has been stuck on 600 career goals for the last 10 games but has 10 assists in that time. Crosby has eight goals and 20 assists in 23 career games against Nashville.

The Predators are still tied with Chicago for the fewest points in the NHL, with 24, but have won two of their last three games after a franchise-record-tying eight-game losing streak (0-5-3).

Nashville Predators (NHL)

On Tuesday, Juuse Saros made 25 saves to end his personal eight-game losing streak, and Jonathan Marchessault scored a goal in the first period to give the Predators a 2-0 home win over the struggling New York Rangers.

Nashville last won back-to-back games during a three-game winning streak from Oct. 22-26.

“The last three (games) feel good. I like the positive energy,” said Marchessault, who has scored seven of his eight goals at home.

“It’s been a tough run for our group. We’ve had a hard time grabbing that consistency, so we’re just trying to build it. I think the little bit of the identity of the last three games is something that we can hold onto and be proud of.”

Marchessault may have finally found some chemistry with his fellow star linemates Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos, who have each earned five points in the last four games.

Saros (2.63 goals-against average) has only won back-to-back starts once this season, on Oct. 22 and 25. Backup Justus Annunen made 35 saves in his most recent start, a 4-1 victory at Dallas on Dec. 12.

Meanwhile, Nedeljkovic has stopped 87 of 95 shots in his last three starts for Pittsburgh, winning two of those games. The Penguins are 16-4-2 against the Predators since October 2010. Teammate Tristan Jarry has a 1.98 goals-against average during his current 2-0-1 stretch on the road.

It is still unclear if Nashville’s injured star defenseman and captain, Roman Josi (lower-body injury), will miss a fourth straight game.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Juuse Saros and the Nashville Predators blank the struggling New York Rangers

Nashville Predators and New York Rangers

Juuse Saros made 25 saves to end an eight-game losing streak and helped the Nashville Predators secure a 2-0 win over the struggling New York Rangers on Tuesday. Jonathan Marchessault and Adam Wilsby scored the goals for Nashville, with assists from Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg on both plays.

Saros was solid throughout the game, making key saves when needed and recording his third shutout of the season. He had entered the game with a 3.40 goals-against average and had gone 0-5-3 in his last eight starts. This victory helped the Predators win two of their last three games after an eight-game winless stretch.

The Rangers suffered their third straight loss and dropped 11 of their last 14 games after a strong start of 12-4-1. Despite registering 25 shots on goal, the Rangers struggled to get anything past Saros, as Nashville blocked 29 shots and prevented many others from reaching the net.

Igor Shesterkin makes a pad save in the 1st period

This was the first time the Rangers were shut out in the 2024-25 season. Igor Shesterkin, who gave up five goals in his last start, made 30 saves on 32 shots for New York in this game.

The Predators took the lead at 13:37 of the first period. Forsberg passed the puck to Stamkos in the slot, who then set up Marchessault for the opening goal.

The Rangers stayed aggressive offensively during the first two periods, but Saros kept them off the scoreboard. He stopped a breakaway attempt by Vincent Trocheck earlier in the game and made a crucial save on Adam Fox’s shot late in the third period.

Nashville sealed the win with a second goal at 8:01 of the third period. Wilsby carried the puck into the zone, dodged a check, and fired a shot past Shesterkin for his first career goal in his 10th NHL game.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Predators and Rangers both eager to bounce back and improve their performance

Nashville Predators (NHL)

Despite having a tough season, the Nashville Predators might be in a better mental state than the struggling New York Rangers.

The Predators have the chance to avoid a fourth straight home loss by handing the Rangers their third consecutive defeat on Tuesday night.

As of Monday, Nashville had the fewest points (22) in the NHL. Even though they were stuck in a 1-6-3 slump, the Predators are still finding positive aspects of their game to move forward with hopes of a turnaround.

On Saturday, Nashville fell behind 3-0 at Colorado, but third-period goals from Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista brought them back into the game. However, the Avalanche scored two empty-net goals to win 5-2.

“In a year that it’s been tough to find some of those moral victories, with the way things (went Saturday, it’s) certainly one of those,” Stamkos, who has three points in three games, told the Predators’ website.

“And we’ve just got to build on that. It’s frustrating when you start to play the game the right way, the way that we want to, and you don’t necessarily see the results. That’s the old saying, ‘You just stick with it.’”

Maybe a game against the struggling Rangers will help Nashville, which is stuck in an 0-1-2 home slump.

The New York Rangers, the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winner, started the season strong with a 12-4-1 record and 61 goals scored. However, they’ve scored only 31 goals and lost 10 of their last 13 games.

New York Rangers (NHL)

On Sunday, the Rangers fell behind 3-0 at St. Louis but made a comeback with third-period goals from Brett Berard and Will Cuylle. However, they lost 3-2, which added to the team’s frustration.

“I don’t even know how to describe the feeling right now,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox told the New York Post. “It’s definitely not good.

“We talk; we talk as a group and say to just try and be engaged. It definitely wears on you when you’re in kind of a streak like this.”

The Rangers have scored only seven goals in their last four games, three of which were decided by a single goal. Leading scorer Artemi Panarin (36 points) may miss a second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. It’s also unclear if winger Kaapo Kakko, who has just one point in his last six games, will return after being a healthy scratch on Sunday.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting, keep battling,” Cuylle, who has four goals and eight assists in 14 road games this season, told NHL.com.

After Jonathan Quick (2.47 goals-against average) made 21 saves at St. Louis, Igor Shesterkin (3.08 GAA) could be back in goal for New York.

Nashville’s Juuse Saros has a 3.40 goals-against average during his current 0-5-3 stretch. However, backup Justus Annunen was excellent, making 35 saves during the Predators’ 4-1 win at Dallas on Thursday.

It’s uncertain if injured Nashville captain and defenseman Roman Josi (lower body) will miss a third straight game.

Stamkos has 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) in 42 career games against New York. The Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad has only one point in his last six road games.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves to help the Colorado Avalanche defeat the struggling Nashville Predators

Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators

Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves in his first game with Colorado, helping the Avalanche win 5-2 against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night in Denver.

Blackwood, who was traded from the San Jose Sharks on Monday, came close to earning his second shutout of the season. Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and had an assist, while Artturi Lehkonen also scored twice. Ross Colton added a goal, and Mikko Rantanen recorded three assists for Colorado.

Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista scored for Nashville, and Juuse Saros made 28 saves. The Predators lost their ninth game in 10 tries.

Stamkos and Filip Forsberg had early chances to score against Blackwood, but he made quick saves to set the tone. In the second period, Stamkos had a breakaway that Blackwood stopped.

Nashville was without defenseman Roman Josi, who missed his second straight game due to a lower-body injury. Despite that, the Predators held Colorado off until the middle of the second period.

Casey Mittelstadt fought for the puck behind the Nashville net and passed it to Colton, who scored a one-timer at 11:32 to put Colorado up 1-0. It was Colton’s 10th goal of the season.

Nashville Predators

Cale Makar almost made it 2-0 soon after, but Saros made a save on his shot. MacKinnon then scored a close-range shot at 18:52 to give Colorado a 2-0 lead.

In the third period, Blackwood stopped a shot from the point to keep Nashville scoreless. Lehkonen then scored a slapshot at 3:30 to make it 3-0.

Stamkos scored for Nashville at 13:03, and Evangelista added another goal at 15:05 on a delayed penalty. MacKinnon and Lehkonen both scored empty-net goals to complete the win. For MacKinnon, it was his 13th goal, and Lehkonen now has 10.

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Justus Annunen, who was recently with the Avalanche, is now back with the Predators

Nashville Predators

After Alexandar Georgiev struggled, the Colorado Avalanche gave Justus Annunen a chance to be their goaltender, but inconsistent performance led to his trade to Nashville on November 30.

Two weeks later, Annunen could get the chance to face his former team when the Predators visit the Avalanche in Denver on Saturday night.

Annunen showed glimpses of the talent that led Colorado to select him 64th overall in the 2018 draft. He posted a 6-4-0 record for the Avalanche before the trade, but his .872 save percentage became a problem, and combined with Georgiev’s struggles, the team’s goaltending was among the worst in the NHL.

Annunen made 35 saves in Nashville’s 4-1 victory over Dallas on Thursday, his first win for the Predators. That win ended an eight-game losing streak for Nashville, which included three overtime losses.

Juuse Saros has been the main goalie for Nashville and has a 2.72 goals-against average despite the team’s poor record.

Nashville has some skilled players leading the team. Defenseman Roman Josi leads with 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists), followed by Filip Forsberg (nine goals, 10 assists) and former Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly (seven goals, 10 assists).

Nashville’s defense and goaltending haven’t been the issue during its 1-5-3 stretch. Five of those eight losses were by one goal, and only twice did an opponent score more than three goals.

Thursday’s win was the first time in 10 games that Nashville scored at least four goals.

Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

“We want to be harder to play against, and kind of consistent with that,” said O’Reilly. “It’s not going to get any easier against Colorado.”

The Avalanche had a weak performance in their 4-1 loss to Utah on Thursday, partly because it was their first home game since November 30, and the team was dealing with an illness. Nathan MacKinnon scored the only goal and continues to lead the NHL with 47 points.

MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen are the only teammates in the top five in scoring in the NHL. MacKinnon has 11 goals and a league-leading 36 assists, while Rantanen is tied for fourth in goals (18).

Ross Colton has nine goals and was leading the team in goals before suffering a fractured foot on October 28. He has scored a goal in four games since returning from the injured list.

Colorado’s offensive strength hasn’t been the problem, but they’ve struggled with keeping the puck out of their net. Coach Jared Bednar mentioned that the change in goaltenders—swapping Georgiev for Mackenzie Blackwood—has helped, especially on the penalty kill.

The Avalanche killed off 14 of 16 penalties during their 4-1 road trip before allowing one to Utah.

“Goaltending did not help that for a long portion of the season, and now that the goaltending is playing better, the penalty kill numbers are better,” said Bednar.

Blackwood, who was acquired in a four-player trade that sent Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks, could get the start in net on Saturday night, though he has also been sick.

Blackwood served as Scott Wedgewood’s backup on Thursday night, which suggests he might be feeling better.

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Predators snap 8-game losing streak with win over Stars

Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars

Ryan O’Reilly scored two goals in his return from injury, helping the Nashville Predators end their eight-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Justus Annunen made 35 saves for Nashville.

O’Reilly, who had missed the previous three games due to a lower-body injury, wasted no time making an impact by scoring twice in a three-goal second period. The Predators had been struggling with an 0-5-3 record in their last eight games.

Tommy Novak also scored in the second period for Nashville, which ended a six-game road losing streak.

Annunen, making his second start since being traded from Colorado on Nov. 30, was excellent, particularly in the third period when the Stars outshot the Predators 16-6 but could only manage Lian Bichsel’s first career goal. Annunen made five big saves in the first three minutes of the third.

Dallas lost for the third time in four games, falling to 11-3-0 at home. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves but suffered his first home loss in 11 starts this season.

Dallas Stars (NHL)

Nashville controlled play in the first period, outshooting the Stars 8-5. The Predators thought they had taken the lead late in the period when Adam Wilsby scored, but it was ruled offside after Dallas challenged.

Wilsby did get his first NHL point in the second period. During a 4-on-4 situation, Jonathan Marchessault got the rebound of Wilsby’s shot and passed it to O’Reilly, who scored.

Less than two minutes later, Marchessault set up Novak, who faked out Oettinger to score. O’Reilly extended the lead to 3-0 at 14:39, redirecting Kevin Gravel’s shot from the point.

After Bichsel’s goal at 9:26 in the third, Nashville thought they had made it 4-1 when Nick Blankenburg scored, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference after a successful Dallas challenge.

Zach L’Heureux sealed the win with an empty-net goal to give Nashville a 4-1 lead.

The Predators played without captain Roman Josi, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Predators aim to avoid setting a franchise record as they face the Stars

Dallas Stars (NHL)

If the Nashville Predators want to avoid setting a franchise record for most consecutive losses, they may have to do it without their clear leader.

They will also need to find a way to beat the Dallas Stars on their home ice. The Stars are aiming for their fifth consecutive home win while hoping to hand the Predators their ninth loss on Thursday night.

Nashville’s struggles have dropped them into a tie with Chicago, with the fewest points in the NHL (20). The Predators, who also have the lowest number of wins in the league with seven, have only scored 14 goals during their 0-5-3 slump. Their most recent victory was against Winnipeg on Nov. 23.

“It’s a tough league,” said forward Jonathan Marchessault, who added two goals in Tuesday’s 4-3 home loss to Calgary, bringing his season total to seven.

“Something I realized with time is it never gets easier. So, you’ve got to embrace the grind and embrace the adversity that you face as an individual, and as a team also.

“And, I think that’s how you can come out on top and come out (better).”

However, this will be a tough task for the Predators, as their captain and points leader (23), Roman Josi, suffered a lower-body injury in the first period on Tuesday. Josi did not return to the game, and his status is uncertain for Nashville, which has scored only seven goals during their current 0-5-1 road skid.

Nashville Predators (NHL)

Nashville has also been without another key player, Ryan O’Reilly, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and has missed the last three games. Forward Gustav Nyquist was also out on Tuesday due to illness.

“Obviously, you never replace Roman Josi,” said Nashville coach Andrew Brunette. “But, I think it gives us … organizationally, a chance to see these guys with more minutes and what they have.”

The Predators are heading to Dallas, where the Stars have a strong 11-2-0 record at home and have outscored opponents 19-8 during a four-game home winning streak. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored two of Dallas’ four goals in the third period, and Jason Robertson finished with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 6-2 win over Calgary to start a six-game home stretch.

“Every game is important,” said Harley, who doubled his goal count. “Looking forward to get back to it.”

Dallas broke out of a scoring slump on Sunday after being limited to just two goals in each of their previous three games.

“It starts with doing the right things, and we capitalize on the opportunities,” said Stars forward Sam Steel, who scored his third goal of the season on Sunday.

Robertson, who scored 41 goals in 2021-22 and 46 goals in 2022-23, had a drop to 29 goals last season and has just six goals this season. However, he has 10 goals in 21 games against Nashville, with his most recent goal coming during Dallas’ 4-3 win in the season opener on Oct. 10.

The Stars’ Jake Oettinger made 33 saves in that game. He’s also 10-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage at home this season. Backup Casey DeSmith has a 2.05 GAA while splitting his two home starts in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, Predators star Juuse Saros has a high 3.46 goals-against average during his current 0-4-3 start.

Marchessault is third on the team with 15 points this season, but only three of those points have come during 15 road games.

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Flames overcome three deficits to defeat struggling Predators

Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators

Jonathan Huberdeau and Kevin Rooney each scored a goal and had an assist to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-3 comeback win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Nazem Kadri and Brayden Pachal also scored for the Flames, who had only one win in their last seven games (1-4-2) and broke an eight-game road winless streak (0-5-3). Calgary’s goalie, Dan Vladar, made 17 saves.

Jonathan Marchessault scored twice, and Tommy Novak added a goal for the Predators, who are at the bottom of the league standings and have lost eight games in a row (0-5-3). Filip Forsberg had two assists, and Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots, but his team gave up three leads during the game.

Huberdeau gave Calgary its first lead with 1:19 left in the second period, scoring on a loose puck during a power play for his 10th goal of the season to make it 4-3.

This was the first time the Flames scored more than three goals in a game (excluding a shootout) in 26 games, and it was their first time doing so since their third game of the season.

The Flames held off a strong push from Nashville in the third period, with Vladar making seven saves and Calgary surviving a Predators power play.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators

Marchessault opened the scoring at 7:45 of the first period, redirecting a shot from the slot set up by Steven Stamkos.

Kadri got Calgary on the board at 10:22 of the first with a sharp-angle shot that Saros couldn’t handle and accidentally knocked into his own net during a scramble.

Novak answered 30 seconds later with his fourth goal of the season, finishing a three-way passing play during a rush.

Rooney tied it up again at 2:27 of the second with a one-timer from a pass by Walker Duehr.

Marchessault gave the Predators the lead again at 7:41 of the second, finishing a two-on-one rush with Forsberg.

Pachal tied the game once more at 13:41 of the second with his first goal of the season, ending a 29-game goal drought, by firing a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Flames with slumping offense head to struggling Predators

New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators

Two teams that are struggling will face off when the Nashville Predators host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

The Flames come into Nashville with just one win in their last seven games (1-4-2), while the Predators have gone winless in their last seven (0-4-3).

Although the Flames were expected to miss the playoffs this season, their recent decline has been disappointing. The Predators had high hopes for this year after adding three experienced veterans to a team that made the playoffs last season. However, they are now trying to avoid finishing last in the league standings and are 12 points behind a playoff spot.

“I can’t speak for everyone, but personally, you just try to focus on the next game,” said Nashville defenseman Luke Schenn. “You obviously can’t change the past, and it seems like a crazy mountain to climb if you start looking at the big picture, so one day at a time, and just try to focus on what you can do to control the outcome and try to play as good as you can individually.”

The Predators are returning home after finishing a four-game road trip with a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. They have scored only 11 goals in their seven-game losing streak and have scored just once in their last two games, with that goal coming late in the Ottawa game with less than two minutes remaining.

“It’s tough,” said coach Andrew Brunette. “I thought the effort was there (in Ottawa). A couple mistakes there … and when you’re not scoring goals, they’re hard to recover from. … We’ll break free at some point.”

Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames

The Flames are coming off a 6-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Sunday. The game was tied 2-2 early in the third period before Calgary gave up four unanswered goals in the final 15 minutes.

“We had stretches where I liked what we were doing, we had some good zone time,” said coach Ryan Huska. “But how we were away from the puck, with the odd-man rushes against … I mean that, to me, is the difference between winning and losing and that’s where we’re struggling a little bit on the road.”

The Flames were in seventh place in the league standings on Nov. 23, but now they are out of a playoff spot. Calgary has not won any of its last eight road games and has a 3-7-4 record away from home.

“We’re not in a bad spot, so I think we can’t get frustrated,” said forward Jonathan Huberdeau. “We’ve got to stay positive and find a way to get a win. This is our last road game before Christmas, so I think that’s the one we need to focus on.”

While the Predators are working to fix many parts of their game, the Flames’ biggest issue is their lack of offense. Even though their power play has been effective in the last 10 games, Calgary has gone a franchise-record 25 games without scoring more than three goals. The last time the Flames scored four or more goals (excluding shootout wins) was in their third game of the season on Oct. 13.

“We have to find a way to hit the (offensive blue line) with a little bit more speed, make sure we’re hungrier for the loose pucks,” said Huska. “And when you have the stretches of zone time that we had (Sunday), you have to find a way to capitalize and get a little bit more inside.”

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NHL (National Hockey League)

The Ottawa Senators handed the Nashville Predators their seventh consecutive loss with a victory on Saturday

Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators

Linus Ullmark stopped 37 out of 38 shots on Saturday night, helping the Ottawa Senators secure a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators, who have now lost seven games in a row.

Jacob Bernard-Docker, Claude Giroux, and Nick Cousins scored for the Senators, with Tim Stutzle earning two assists.

Fedor Svechkov broke up Ullmark’s shutout, scoring for the Predators with just 1:57 left in the game. Juuse Saros made 27 saves for Nashville.

The best chance to score in the scoreless first period came at 13:06, when Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk made a clever chip pass to Josh Norris, but Norris couldn’t get the puck past Saros.

Bernard-Docker scored his first goal of the season early in the second period, thanks to a pass from Stutzle. He fired the puck into the top corner to give Ottawa the lead.

Giroux doubled the Senators’ advantage with 3:08 left in the second period. His attempted pass deflected off Nashville defenseman Steven Stamkos’ skate and went into the net.

Ottawa Senators (NHL)

Late in the second, Ullmark stopped Tommy Novak’s 2-on-1 chance and then got some help from the post when Roman Josi’s shot hit the iron.

The Predators tried to bring some energy to their struggling offense by playing physically. Zack Ostapchuk fought Cole Smith with less than 30 seconds left in the second period.

Cousins sealed the win for Ottawa with a breakaway goal at 7:23 in the third period, making it 3-0.

Nashville’s Alexandre Carrier left the game after taking a big hit from Tkachuk less than two minutes into the third period.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Sam Montembeault and the Canadiens blanked the Predators

Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators

Sam Montembeault made 29 saves, and Patrik Laine scored his second power-play goal in two games, helping the Montreal Canadiens win 3-0 against the struggling Nashville Predators on Thursday.

Montembeault stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period, earning his third shutout of the season and the fourth of his career.

Jake Evans contributed a goal and an assist, Laine scored during a 5-on-3 power play, and Joel Armia added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

Captain Nick Suzuki and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson each recorded an assist, extending their point streaks to five games. The Canadiens improved to 2-0-0 on their five-game homestand.

Nashville’s Justus Annunen made 27 saves in his first start since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

However, Annunen didn’t get much offensive help as the Predators lost their sixth straight game (0-3-3) and dropped to 2-8-4 on the road.

Sam Montembeault makes a stick save in the 2nd period

Before the game, Nashville announced that forward Ryan O’Reilly would be week-to-week with a lower-body injury. O’Reilly, a former Selke and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, is one game away from his 1,100th career NHL game.

While the Predators were on the power play, Jonathan Marchessault made a poor blind backhand pass from below the goal line in the offensive zone. This led to a quick rush the other way, with Evans keeping the puck and firing a shot from the left circle that beat Annunen to open the scoring at 7:50 of the first period.

Evans’ goal was his fifth in 26 games this season, compared to just seven in 82 games last year.

Laine made it 2-0 at 1:14 of the third period, blasting a shot from the left circle past Annunen. Laine was playing in his second game since recovering from a sprained knee sustained in the preseason.

Nashville nearly cut the lead in half later in the third, but referee Tom Chmielewski quickly waved off the goal, ruling that Gus Nyquist had kicked the puck into the net.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Hot Maple Leafs edge struggling Predators

Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators

Auston Matthews scored two goals early in the third period, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.

William Nylander also found the net for the Maple Leafs, who have now won three consecutive games and 10 of their last 12. Mitchell Marner added three assists in the win.

Joseph Woll made 22 saves for Toronto.

For Nashville, Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Jankowski scored. The Predators have now lost five straight games, with three of those losses coming in overtime. They’ve scored two goals in each of their last five losses. Juuse Saros stopped 25 shots for the Predators.

Nashville took the lead early in the first period at 5:26 when Marchessault’s long shot bounced off the end barrier, came back over the net, and he knocked it in for his fifth goal of the season, marking his 500th career point. Roman Josi assisted on the goal, which followed a giveaway by Matthews.

Matthews later hit the goal post with a shot in the period.

Nashville Predators (NHL)

Josi was shaken up early in the second period after blocking a shot but returned to the game shortly afterward.

Both teams had chances late in the scoreless second period.

Matthews tied the game just 31 seconds into the third period, scoring from the slot on a pass from Marner. Morgan Rielly also assisted on the play.

Matthews then gave Toronto the lead at 2:29 of the third period with his eighth goal of the season, scoring on a backhand from the low slot after another pass from Marner. Matthews has now scored three goals in the last three games after missing nine games due to an upper-body injury.

Nylander added another for Toronto at 5:06 with a 19-foot wrist shot during a five-on-three power play, bringing his season total to 16 goals.

Jankowski scored for Nashville at 16:38 of the third period, getting his first goal of the season on a backhand that went in off the post.

Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury after being hit by a puck in the side of the head during a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.