Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg scored power-play goals in the second period as the visiting Nashville Predators bounced back from an ugly loss with a dominating 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
Nashville’s Cole Smith produced his first career two-goal game by scoring twice in less than five minutes during the opening period. Tyson Barrie contributed two assists as the Predators improved to 2-3-0 under new coach Andrew Brunette.
The Predators entered 2-for-17 on the power play in their first four contests but tallied twice on four chances Thursday to pull away and chase New York goalie Igor Shesterkin.
Nashville goalie Juuse Saros made 23 saves after allowing four goals and getting pulled in the first period on Tuesday during a 6-1 home loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Rangers entered 7-for-9 on penalty kills and have allowed nine goals in their two losses under new coach Peter Laviolette.
Adam Fox scored a power-play goal for New York, which also saw a goal by Vincent Trocheck disallowed in the third period because of an offside call.
Shesterkin allowed four goals on 18 shots. Jonathan Quick relieved Shesterkin in the second period, and he stopped all nine shots he faced in his New York debut.
After Smith’s diving backhanded effort on a rebound of a Michael McCarron tip made it 1-0 at 11:24 of the first period, Smith finished a breakaway for a 2-0 lead. The second goal occurred as he came out of the penalty box and New York defenseman K’Andre Miller’s cross-ice pass hopped over teammate Erik Gustafsson’s stick. The unassisted tally came at 16:22.
After Fox was called for his second hooking penalty of the game, the Predators finished a brilliant passing sequence 3:32 into the second.
O’Reilly won an offensive-zone faceoff from Trocheck, and after four passes, he finished the sequence with a one-timer from the left circle over Shesterkin’s shoulder.
After not scoring in Nashville’s first four games, Forsberg chased Shesterkin with a slap shot from above the left circle at 13:51 of the middle period for a 4-0 lead.
Fox ended the shutout bid in the final minute of the second when his shot caromed off Nashville defenseman Ryan McDonagh’s leg.
–Field Level Media
