The Nashville Predators came to a 4-3 Win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. That leaves us at 30-23-8 as the playoff push heats up.
As of today, the Blue Jackets are now on an eight game losing streak. They are currently at 30-19-14.
The Blue Jackets had nine men out on Injured Reserve. Consisting of Seth Jones, Alexander Wennberg, Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Murray, Alexandre Texier, Dean Kukan, Joonas Korpisalo, and Josh Anderson. As for the Preds, we have none!
The Preds Lineup of the night consisted of:
Forwards
Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Viktor Arvidsson
Calle Jarnkrok – Matt Duchene – Mikael Granlund
Rocco Grimaldi – Kyle Turris – Craig Smith
Colin Blackwell – Colton Sissons – Austin Watson
Defense
Mattias Ekholm – Yannick Weber
Goaltenders
How it unfolded
The puck drops and 33 seconds in, Johansen scores on the rebound. The assists were by Colin Blackwell and Ryan Ellis. This was a big rebound that he shot hard at and it ended with the Predators first goal of the night.
More from Predlines
- Nashville Predators 2023 Training Camp Spotlight: Kiefer Sherwood
- Captain Candidates if Nashville Predators Didn’t Have Roman Josi
- The All-Time 25 Games or Less Nashville Predators Lineup
- Nashville Predators 2023 Training Camp Spotlight: Cody Glass
- Joakim Kemell Flashes his Offense in Nashville Predators Loss to Tampa
As of this far in the game, Granlund and Ellis are showing themselves as redeemable defenders.
Ellis just got back into the starting lineup after his injury in the Winter Classic and he’s showing us what we have been missing. At about eight minutes into the first period, Ellis takes a great shot at the Blue Jackets net and barely misses the net.
Forsberg goes on the breakaway and skates fast down the ice with Granlund. He passes the puck smoothly to Granlund and sets it up perfectly for Nashville, scoring their second goal of the night.
This was Granlund’s 15th goal of the season as he has really find his groove since John Hynes took over as head coach.
Nashville’s first power play ends up with Pierre-Luc Dubois in the penalty box, but they fail to take advantage of the opportunity. The power play has now fallen to 27th in the league and approaching how bad it was last season when it was dead last.
In the opening minute of the 2nd period, Saros makes two amazing saves, but they end up with Columbus getting on the board with their first goal. Boone Jenner tallies the score.
Four minutes later, Eric Robinson scores the second goal for the Blue Jackets. With a tie score, reasons for doubt in the Predators holding off an injury-riddle Columbus team begin to creep in.
With three minutes left of the 2nd, Columbus gets on the power play. Thirteen seconds in, Emil Bemstrom scores the third goal and the assist was by Markus Nutivaara.
Forsberg would generate a scoring chance for the Predators after that, and Sissons is able to sneak the goal into the net. Tie game once again.
The 3rd period goes by and no one scores. We go to overtime, and no one scores. During this time slot, Saros had some spectacular saves and further reminding us how great he’s been playing over the last several games.
Another shootout
The shootout would go into an insane eight rounds before the Predators would claim the extra point in the standings. Perfectly enough, Rocco Grimaldi scored the game-winning shootout goal, and now has a new contract deal on trade deadline day.
Saros saved six out of the eight rounds of the shootout and had a great night with 40 amazing saves.
The trade deadline has come and gone officially, and the Predators weren’t very active aside from trading Matt Irwin for Korbinian Holzer and the contract extension for Grimaldi.
The Predators have the Ottawa Senators at home on Tuesday night for the next game on the schedule.