The Nashville Predators entered a perfect letdown spot on Tuesday evening after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. As if getting up after that shootout wasn't enough, they had to contend with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
While the Hurricanes have run over every team that stood in their way this season, the Predators flipped the switch and won 4-1 on goals from Nick Perbix, Roman Josi, Adam Edstrom, and Ross Colton. Here are three takeaways from the statement win.
Predators beat Hurricanes at their own game
By the end of the game, the Hurricanes were visibly frustrated by what the Predators were doing. Nashville outskated them, outforechecked them, and Juuse Saros did enough to keep Carolina's offense at bay. It was also Pyotr Kochetkov's first loss of the season after winning his first 10.
The Hurricanes have dominated some great teams thus far, but defeating the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and now the Hurricanes over their last five games is a great sign for the team's outlook moving forward. If fans expected a teardown before the deadline, Chris MacFarland promised no rebuild would happen as long as they were competitive, and there's no denying they are right now.
Shane Wright didn't look out of place in Predators debut
Wright was one of the Predators' best players in terms of 5v5 xGoal Share, showing why MacFarland valued him so much in Sunday's trade. His line, along with Filip Forsberg and Nils Hoglander, outscored their opponents 2-0 at five-on-five and had a 65% xGF.
While Wright's productivity with his linemates was huge, and fans could see his two-way abilities, he also showed glimpses of offensive flash that made him a fourth-overall pick. The Seattle Kraken didn't see those glimpses enough, and the newcomer will have to show it beyond his first game, but you couldn't have asked for a better debut outside of finding the back of the net.
Adam Edstrom continues breakout season
When the Predators needed insurance in a 2-1 third-period game, Edstrom tipped in a Roman Josi shot from the point, keeping his stick just below the threshold to make it a legal goal. After a quick review, officials confirmed the goal would stand.
It was Edstrom's sixth goal of the season, which is already a career-high for the towering power forward. Edstrom, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury delivered a solid, professional performance, capped by Colton's dagger into an empty net. It could be a formidable trio for the Predators going forward.
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