A two level evening for Steven Stamkos was not sufficient in his return to Amalie Enviornment, because the slow-starting Predators fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in additional time, sustaining a four-game level streak.
The sport was one more trademark sluggish Nashville begin, because the Predators had been utterly unable to string collectively an offensive possession. With the Predators chasing the puck and failing to enter the offensive zone, Tampa was capable of money in midway by way of the interval, Jake Guentzel discovered Braydon Level, who got here throughout the crease and buried the shot previous Juuse Saros, and Tampa Bay led 1-0.
After efficiently killing a Tampa Bay energy play, Nashville appeared to get an opportunity of their very own after drawing a penalty, however one other was taken, so play went to 4 on 4 (and a subsequent penalty kill). Nashville was capable of present a number of possibilities on this time, however sadly, none of them might beat Andrei Vasilevskiy, so the remained down. Shortly after one other Nashville kill, Level discovered a streaking Mitchell Chaffee, who beat Saros and gave the Bolts a 2-0 lead proper earlier than the tip of the primary.
Fortunately, within the second interval, Nashville would awaken and management the tempo all through. After dominating possession and producing a number of high-danger possibilities within the first half of the interval, in addition to an overturned Nikita Kucherov aim, the Predators lastly acquired one other energy play probability. And it wouldn’t take lengthy – Stamkos would decide up his first help as he and Jonathan Marchessault discovered Ryan O’Reilly, who beat Vasilevkiy and trimmed the Nashville deficit to at least one.
The Predators remained in management the remainder of the interval, and within the remaining two minutes, Stamkos would decide up his second help of the evening after taking a fantastic strech cross from Brady Skjei and sending it to a streaking Gustav Nyquist who despatched residence the equalizer, 2-2 proper earlier than second intermission.
The ultimate interval was spent in a way more back-and-forth method, as each groups traded energy play makes an attempt early on, earlier than Nashville was capable of create a number of high-danger possibilities – together with a shot from Stamkos that banked off the put up, simply lacking a aim in his homecoming. Because the groups continued to combat for a lead, Nashville was capable of construct momentum within the remaining minutes, getting a number of possibilities to finish the sport, however like Tampa, they had been unable to transform.
Because the groups headed to additional time, the primary two and a half minutes had been dominated by the Predators. Your complete first two minutes had been managed by Nashville, and regardless of passing a bit greater than could be desired, Nashville lastly ceded possession a few occasions, and Guentzel would discover Nick Paul who would go throughout Saros face and tuck it in stick facet to finish the sport 3-2. The Predators three sport profitable streak could be snapped, however they managed to keep up a now four-game level streak as they head residence to Nashville to face the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.
Three Stars of the Recreation
Third Star: NSH F Steven Stamkos – 2 assists, 2 factors
Second Star: TB F Brayden Level – 1 aim, 1 help, 2 factors
First Star: TB F Nick Paul – Recreation-winning OT aim, 1 level
