The Nashville Predators are back to playing uneven hockey after using a six-game winning streak to climb over .500 for the first time this season.
On Tuesday, they’ll aim to bank more momentum and sweep an abbreviated two-game road trip as they visit the struggling Chicago Blackhawks.
Nashville edged host Buffalo 2-1 on Sunday behind a 34-save effort from Juuse Saros, who showcased his resiliency after being pulled from Thursday’s loss to Minnesota after yielding four goals on 15 shots.
Predators coach Andrew Brunette hailed Saros’ ability to bounce back.
“He’s a battler,” Brunette said. “He’s a (competitor) and he competes on everything — every practice, every shot.
“And I thought he was really, really sharp (Sunday). Right from the get-go you could tell he was dialed in. He’s the ultimate team player and he’s the type of kid, he’s going to will himself to play like he did (Sunday) and for the team, too.”
A two-goal first period staked the Predators to an advantage they wouldn’t relinquish. Filip Forsberg became the third player in Nashville history to net 40 game-opening goals, while Yakov Trenin also scored.
“I thought we came out ready to play,” Forsberg said.
Tuesday marks the second of four meetings between the Predators and Blackhawks this season.
Nashville topped visiting Chicago 4-2 on Nov. 18 to stop a four-game losing streak while sending the Blackhawks to the third of five straight losses.
Cole Smith scored twice for the Predators while goaltender Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves to defeat his former team.
The Blackhawks suffered their third straight loss on Sunday, with all coming on the road, after surrendering three first-period goals in a 4-1 defeat at Minnesota.
Although Chicago was playing for the second time in as many days and for the third time in four days, players liked their energy until the Wild struck first.
“I feel like we came out to a good start considering the back-to-back,” said forward Taylor Raddysh, who scored the Blackhawks’ lone goal midway through the third period. “We kind of let that slide away once they got one there. Something we’ve got to try (to) be better.
“We can’t just fall apart when something bad happens to us. We’ve got to bounce right back and just keep playing the way we’re playing. We can’t let those go away because then we’re down a couple of goals and it’s hard to climb back when that happens.”
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson agreed.
“I’m not saying that we didn’t try,” Richardson said. “I think our guys tried, but we have to find a desperation level that they showed us (Sunday). And we have done that. It’s a matter of stop feeling sorry for yourself and going to do it.”
Connor Bedard, the top pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, assisted on the Raddysh goal to stretch his road point streak to nine games, setting a Blackhawks rookie record.
Now Chicago heads home to United Center, where it has won two of its past three games. Seven of the Blackhawks’ next nine games are at home.
–Field Level Media
