Takeaway 2: AHL Talent Stepped Up in Big Moments
Ryder Rolston opened up the scoring for Nashville five minutes into the game off of his own rebound. After acquiring the puck on a turnover, Rolston sped down the neutral zone and pushed into the Panthers' zone where he took a wrist shot, narrowly missing the net. Afterwards, he quickly regained control of the puck and snapped it into the net, giving the Preds a 1-0 lead. He played 57 games with the Milwaukee Admirals last year, recording 31 points.
Another Admiral, Reid Schaefer, lit the lamp later in the second period after tipping in the puck off a redirection from defenseman Kevin Gravel. The former Edmonton Oilers' first rounder only played 19 games with Milwaukee last season, putting up 8 goals and 6 assists. Schaefer shared the ice with former Ads forwards Michael McCarron and Joakim Kemell. The three had a lot of chemistry together and had a good mix of scoring and physicality.
David Edstrom closed out the night for the Predators with his first. He wristed the puck behind Florida goalie Brandon Bussi and brought the final score to 5-0. Brady Skjei fed the puck from the blueline which bounced off a Florida defender, giving him a prime opportunity to net one. He's expected to return to Milwaukee this year but if he keeps performing, he might make the cut.