The Nashville Predators earned their first come-from-behind victory of the season on Thursday, erasing a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. Despite the lopsided score, Montreal dominated much of the game, especially through the first two periods, but the Predators persevered and walked away with a road win.
With Thursday’s win, Nashville has now amassed three of a possible four points through the first two games of the road trip.Â
Here are three takeaways from Nashville’s victory against the Canadiens:
Juuse Saros Keeps Nashville Afloat Despite More Defensive Woes
The Nashville Predators had yet another rough start on the blue line during Thursday’s game against Montreal. The Canadiens opened the game with a barrage of shots totaling 11 in the first period and increased that total to 25 by the end of the second.
By the midway point of the game, Montreal had built a 2-0 lead and controlled most of the offensive play. The game could have easily gotten out of reach; however, Juuse Saros delivered a gutsy performance, saving 32 of 34 Montreal shots while the Predators scored five unanswered goals, propelling Nashville to a 5-2 victory. This is Saros’ second straight game with over 30 saves, following his performance in Toronto against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
If Juuse Saros can sustain this level of play on a regular basis, it will make things significantly easier for Nashville as head coach Andrew Brunette continues to experiment with defensive pairings.
Nashville’s Power Play Continues To Be Dominant
The Predators’ success on the man advantage continued Thursday with two more power-play goals finding the back of the net. Matthew Wood capitalized on a power play late into the second period for his first goal of the season, while Ryan O’Reilly redirected a shot from Roman Josi, giving O’Reilly his first goal of the season as well. Nashville has now scored five power-play goals through the first four games of the season.
Another star on the power play is forward Steven Stamkos, who contributed with assists on both goals Thursday. Stamkos now has four power-play points in four games and six points overall, leading the Predators in both categories.
The power play has been one of Nashville’s bright spots early on this season, with goals on the man advantage in three straight games after tonight, and is operating at a 38.5% efficiency, which is top 10 in the league.
It Was A Rough Homecoming For Quebec Natives
Jonathan Marchessault, William Trudeau, and Mavrik Bourque all returned to their home province of Quebec for tonight’s game in Montreal; however, the night did not go as any of them planned.
The injury bug struck Nashville hard on Thursday as the Predators lost both Trudeau and Bourque to upper-body injuries, with neither player playing a shift after the second period.
As for Marchessault, his scoring drought to open the season continued tonight as he failed to register a point for the fourth straight game. He leaves Thursday’s game as the only forward to play in all four games without recording a point. Marchessault didn’t lack opportunities, logging 4:34 of ice time during Nashville’s power plays tonight.
The Predators will conclude the road trip against the Ottawa Senators at 6 p.m. on Saturday as they visit the Canadian Tire Centre.
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