Predators - 6, Canadiens - 3: Six Predators Score in Confidence Boosting Win Over Montreal

Montreal has young offensive weapons in Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Kirby Dach. The three have combined for 45 goals this season, but overall the team's offensive production has dropped over the last month while the defense has allowed four or more goals in eight games in December. Tonight Sam Motembeault started in net for the Habs hoping to contain the 

Game Recap

The Predators caught the first break of the game as Joel Edmundson sent the puck over the glass and earned two minutes in the penalty box at 2:32. It took a net front tip in from Cody Glass (in his 100th NHL game) and confirmation from Toronto that it was a good goal. 

Colton Sissons followed shortly with a goal on a two on one break at 5:49 compliments of a beautiful Filip Forsberg pass. Forsberg's assist received nearly as much applause as Sissons goal when it was announced in Bridgestone. 

The Canadiens got their first chance on the power play at 7:59 as Glass was called for a trip. Just :42 seconds into their man advantage, Nick Suzuki headed to the Habs' penalty box for high sticking Mark Jankowski, and the teams played four on four for 1:18. Four on four play and the Preds' remaining power play expired. As Suzuki exited the box, a Mattias Ekholm shot from the blue line zipped past Montembeault to give the Predators a 3-0 lead at 10:42. 

Tempers began to rise as the period wound down, and the refs had to separate a few net front dust ups. Eventually one of the scrums went too far, resulting in penalties on Chris Wideman and Colton Sissons at 14:32. Neither team could capitalize on the extra space during the four on four play. With less than a minute in remaining in the first period, the Canadiens got on the scoreboard as Cole Caufield scored on a breakaway. The opening twenty minutes ended with a score of 3-1. 

Montreal carried the momentum from their late goal into the opening minutes of the second period. Their persistence paid off as Josh Anderson sent a shot from the circle past Saros to make it a one goal game at 6:40. A terrific pass from behind the net by Yakov Trenin found Tommy Novak cutting through the slot, and Novak scored his third goal since being called up to Nashville at 8:18.

Ryan McDonaugh headed to the penalty box at 12:48 after his stick was chicken winged by Christian Dvorak. Nashville was able to kill the two minutes, and the teams returned to five a side. Nashville regained their three goal lead as Tommy Novak found a cutting Roman Josi who buried the puck at 17:48. 

Nashville almost immediately gave Montreal a man advantage when Yakov Trenin headed to the penalty box for a high stick at 18:32. The Habs' power play pressured, but the period ended with :34 seconds of power play time carrying over into the final period. The teams headed into the second intermission with a score of 5-2.

The Predators backed themselves into a hole at the start of the third period as Mattias Ekholm was called for a high stick at :13 giving Montreal a brief five on three chance before earning the additional power play time. A blocked shot by Alexandre Carrier and a timely clear prevented the Habs from capitalizing on the extended chance. 

The Preds went on the power play shortly after killing off the Ekholm penalty as Jordan Harris was called for hooking at 2:58. With :42 remaining on the initial call, Jake Evans joined Harris in the box for a tripping call. Some quick cross ice passing set up Matt Duchene for the five on three goal at 4:43. 

The goal on the man advantage tipped the third period ice Nashville's way. Montreal finally broke through after Alexandre Carrier's stick broke, and Brandon Gallagher got a shot in the net at 16:59. As the final buzzer sounded, the crowd at Brdigsteone Rena stood to their feet with a roar to applaud the 6-3 effort tonight by the Predators. 

Game Notes

1. Tommy Novak had one of his best games tonight. Novak scored a goal and earned the primary assist on Roman Josi's goal with a brilliant play and pass to set up the opportunity. There may be flashier names fans have clamored to see in Smashville, but Novak is showing why he got the call up. 

2. It's good to see Cody Glass get that opening goal. Glass had three assists in his last five games, but his hard work in front of the net paid off with a tip in goal to kick off the game. Glass also took several defensive zone face-offs and played much of the game against Montreal's top line of Caufield, Suzuki, and Dach.  

3. Nashville controlled this game and played a solid sixty minutes. The Preds still need to eliminate the penalties, but Saros had defensive support, the offense was humming, and the power play scored twice. Not a bad night's way for the Preds to leave Bridgestone before heading on a five game road trip. 

Related Reading: 

Will Filip Forsberg Continue His Scoring Streak Against the Canadiens Tonight?

Can the Nashville Predators Gain Ground with Their Arduous January Schedule? 

Predators - 4, Golden Knights - 5 (OT): Filip Forsberg Scores Hat Trick But Preds Only Earn One Point