Nashville Predators Defeat New York Rangers, Mike Ribeiro Records Career Point Number 700

Final

Nashville Predators

3

New York Rangers

2

The Nashville Predators found themselves in a battle with the New York Rangers; and thanks to a strong second period and a memorable night by Mike Ribeiro they came out victorious.

The game started with great pace and it remained that way for the entire 60 minutes. The Predators had the majority of the quality scoring chances in the opening period but did not manage to put the puck into the back of the net with their eight shots on net. Rookie Filip Forsberg rang a shot off the past late in the period with one of Nashville’s best chances to take the one goal lead.

The Rangers out shot the Predators in the opening 20 minutes by the count of 10-8. Forsberg was called for a holding penalty with 39 seconds left in the opening frame but the Predators killed off the start of the penalty as the teams headed into their locker rooms in a scoreless contest.

Nashville opened up the second period by killing off the remainder of the carried over Forsberg penalty. The period was dominated by New York and the scoring finally started at the 8:11 mark of the period courtesy of the NHL’s leading goal scorer Rick Nash. The goal came on the power play for the Rangers as Nash received the puck in front of the net and worked it around Pekka Rinne.

The flow of the game remained in the Rangers’ corner until late in the period, specifically the 1:21 mark, when Roman Josi sent a slap shot past New York netminder Cam Talbot to knot things up at one goal a piece. Gabriel Bourque and Calle Jarnkrok were credited with the assists on Josi’s 10th of the season.

The Predators push didn’t end there. Shea Weber decided to send a rocket of a slap shot himself into the back of the net just 41 seconds after the Josi goal to give Nashville a 2-1 advantage. Matt Cullen and Josi were the helpers on the Weber goal.

The first 40 minutes ended with Nashville being out shot 22-18 but holding the advantage on the scoreboard, 2-1.

The Predators certainly held all of the momentum headed into the final 20 minutes but that was quickly wiped away. Ryan McDonagh sent a wrist shot past a heavily screened Rinne just 1:37 into the third period to tie the game back up at 2-2.

Following the game tying goal the remainder of regulation held a back and forth heavy game before Nashville took back the lead with just over seven minutes remaining. Mike Ribeiro found himself on the left dot with the puck and sent a slap shot over Talbot’s glove hand and into the back of the net.

Ribeiro’s goal was his 700th career point.

The 3-2 lead held strong even following the Rangers pulling their goalie for the man advantage with 1:48 left in the game. It helped Nashville’s cause when Mats Zucarello was called for tripping with 1:31 left. Rinne came up big in the final seconds with some good saved to seal the 3-2 victory for the Predators.

Rinne stopped 30 of the 32 pucks thrown his way for his 30th win of the season.

Colin Wilson was not seen on the Predators bench following the first period due to an upper-body injury. At Head Coach Peter Laviolette’s press conference following the game it was announced Wilson is considered day-to-day.

The Predators are back in action tomorrow in yet another afternoon game in Sunrise, Florida as they take on the Florida Panthers at 2 p.m. CST.