Predators Get Depth Scoring from Sissons, Tomasino, and Trenin to Defeat Capitals 3-1

Kiefer Sherwood was still listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury, and Dante Fabbro was a healthy scratch. 

This was the line up for the Washington Capitals who welcomed Evgeny Kuznetsov back to the ice. 

The Predators needed a few minutes to shake off a little rust early as they struggled to connect on passes exiting the zone. Washington was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone but couldn't get many shots on goal. Nashville finally countered with extended offensive zone time of their own but didn't convert chances into goals. 

At 4:15 Trevor van Riemsdyk headed to the penalty box for delay of game, and the Predators got their first chance on the power play. Colton Sissons tipped the puck past Lindgren at 5:03 to give the Predators the 1-0 lead. Play continued back and forth, but neither team gained an advantage through the rest of the first period. The teams headed to the locker rooms with Nashville up 1-0. 

The Capitals came out in the second period with an offensive push. At 3:23 Cole Smith headed to the box for a trip on Nick Jensen giving Washington their first power play chance of the game. At 4:07 Ryan McDonagh joined Smith in the penalty box for a two minute high stick on T. J. Oshie. Oshie scored on the five on three opportunity at 5:13 to tie the game up. 

Nashville was able to kill off the remainder of McDonagh's penalty, but the Capitals kept momentum through the middle part of the period. The Predators found themselves hemmed in the defensive zone for extended periods while the Capitals put shots on goal. Saros was able to handle the pucks, but the Preds struggled at times to clear the zone and transition through the neutral zone cleanly. 

After another defensive zone stand, Cole Smith cleared the puck and Phil Tomasino found himself wide open on a breakaway. He beat Lindgren one on one at 13:26. The teams headed into the second intermission with the Predators up 2-1, but the Capitals leading 20-14 in shots on goal. 

Nashville got an early power play chance in the third period as Alex Ovechkin headed to the penalty box at 1:36 for slashing Filip Forsberg. The Preds couldn't capitalize on the man advantage, but just after the two minute expired Yakov Trenin cleaned up a stray puck in front of Lindgren to give Nashville a 3-1 lead at 3:41. 

The Capitals got a chance on the power play as Alexandre Carrier sat for a slash on T.J. Oshie. The Capitals threatened on the man advantage, but two blocks by Jeremy Lauzon and winning net front battles helped Nashville hold off the Capitals. 

The Predators killed off the penalty but the Capitals continued to pressure offensively and re-enter the offensive zone after the Preds would get a clear. A flurry of offense by Nashville with less than five minutes to go helped the Predators even up the shots on goal late. 

With just over three minutes remaining, Lindgren abandoned the net and the Caps added the extra attacker. At 17:23, Cody Glass was whistled for a trip, and the Caps put Lindgren back in net and started the power play five on four. Once Washington got possession, Lindgren headed back to the bench and the Caps played six on four. Saros and the penalty kill were able to manage the Capitals' attack, and the teams returned to five a side with less than a minute to go. 

Cody Glass chased down a cleared puck and was heading to the empty net when he was tackled from behind by Dylan Strome. Strome sat for the twelve seconds left, and the Predators won their fourth game in a row 3-1. 

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