A late power-play goal saw the Nashville Predators fall to the New Jersey Devils by a 4-2 final on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result sees Nashville’s win streak stopped at five games to remain at 77 points in the second Wild Card spot in the West.
Reid Schaefer and Steven Stamkos scored in the second period for the Preds, but the Devils took the lead with less than six minutes to play in regulation time on the man advantage in a game that saw the visitors outshoot Nashville by a 30-18 count.
“I didn't think we played our best,” Stamkos said. “I mean, that's a team that we know how they like to play… I didn't think we were hard enough on them, and gave them some time and space, and it bit us. But, we didn't get the start of the first half again we wanted. We climb our way back, we fight like we've been doing all year, and then a penalty with seven minutes left in the game is tough, especially after we literally just killed one off, right? It's 2-1 in penalties. It's a tight game, but it is what it is, and those things happen. I didn't think we played our best game tonight.”
“I thought it was a hard-fought game,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “I thought we invested in the game. We did a lot of the right things, almost all game. I thought we nullified the rush really well. They have a couple of special players that made some plays here tonight, and we just move on and take what's good. There's a big belief in that room. We're right there. Some circumstances we can't control.”
The Devils had a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes of play, and they doubled their advantage in the second stanza before Schaefer converted on a breakaway to get the Preds on the board. Minutes later, Stamkos capitalized on a turnover and slid a shot through the five hole of Jacob Markstrom for his 36th of the season to tie things at two.
But in the final frame, Matthew Wood was whistled for a slashing penalty, and Nico Hischier converted on the power play before the Devils added an empty-netter after the Preds hit the post as they pushed for the equalizer.
“We're not going to surprise anybody anymore,” Preds defenseman Nic Hague said. “We've been playing well. And you get to this time of year, and intensity certainly ramps up. These are playoff-style games, and we're fighting for our lives, fighting for that ticket. We've fought so hard all year to get to the position we're now. It's only going to get tougher, and we’ve just got to keep raising our level.”
The win streak may have come to an end, but the games keep coming, including a pair this weekend that begins against Monreal on Saturday. That contest will afford the Preds a chance to get back in the win column, and they’re very much looking forward to that opportunity.
“Everything is a learning opportunity for our group,” Hague said. “We'll regroup, and we’ve got another big one in a couple days. I'm always a believer in learning what you can, take a look at stuff that needs to be looked at, and then you’ve got to cut it loose and show up to the rink on Saturday. Another huge game that means a lot to us. I think that's the mindset, and we’ve got to take it day-by-day, keep working on our game.”
Notes:
Ozzy Wiesblatt rejoined the Nashville lineup on Thursday in favor of Joakim Kemell; Justin Barron was also a healthy scratch.
Per NHL PR, Steven Stamkos pulled the Predators even with his 124th career tying goal. He passed Teemu Selanne (123) for the eighth-most in NHL history.
Nashville’s three-game homestand will conclude on Saturday evening when the Preds host the Canadiens to start a back-to-back weekend that will finish Sunday in Tampa.
