The Nashville Preditors post a 2-1 victory over Buffalo.
By Chris Ryndak / Sabres.com
NASHVILLE, TN. — The Buffalo Sabres had some chances late, but it wasn’t enough against the Nashville Predators on Monday.
With goaltender Carter Hutton on the bench in favor of the extra attacker with 90 seconds left, the Sabres were able to come up with at least three prime opportunities to tie the game. However, the Predators held on for a 2-1 victory at Bridgestone Arena.
Patrik Berglund won three offensive-zone draws in the final 1:11 to give Buffalo a chance, but also missed on an open net as part of Buffalo’s last-ditch effort.
Sam Reinhart, who scored for Buffalo, didn’t think they were able to generate enough offensive chances throughout the game.
“I think it’s something we need to be better at,” he said. “It’s seem like it’s something we’ve been having troubles with for a little bit here so we’ve got to figure out, get back to what gave us success earlier in that part of it. We just need more from that in-zone. I don’t think we generated enough.”
Buffalo’s power play went 0-for-4 on the night. Offensively, they were without Conor Sheary and Jason Pominville due to injuries. It’s possible they both could return to the lineup Tuesday night, but coach Phil Housley would like to see more from his group of forwards. Monday’s lone goal was the result of a five-man attack consisting of Reinhart, Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, and defensemen Lawrence Pilut and Rasmus Ristolainen.
“We had some opportunities, we just didn’t cash in,” Housley said. “I just thought overall, I think we’re going to need more help from our other lines to create some more offense, to generate some more offense to take some heat off of Jack’s line.”
Scoring plays
Nashville opened the scoring a power-play goal from Ryan Ellis off a slap shot with 4:56 remaining in the first period.
Reinhart was then credited with his seventh goal of the year when Roman Josi inadvertently knocked the puck into his own net 5:20 into the second period. Reinhart is on a four-game point streak with four goals and two assists in that span.
Reinhart is on a four-game point streak with four goals and two assists in that span.
The Predators recaptured the lead on Kevin Fiala’s shot with 3:26 left in the middle frame that bounced off defenseman Casey Nelson, hit the ice and found its way past Hutton.
Hutton finished the game was 23 saves to Pekka Rinne’s 21.
The Predators didn’t give the Sabres much of anything, especially when they attempted to go on the attack through the neutral zone.
“You saw their experience and how they just kind of shut everything down, make it hard for us to get pucks behind them, and ultimately get speed and get on it,” Reinhart said. “I think we need to find a way to generate more speed through the neutral zone and simplify it a little more against a team that shuts it down like that.”
The Predators recaptured the lead on Kevin Fiala’s shot with 3:26 left in the middle frame that bounced off defenseman Casey Nelson, hit the ice and found its way past Hutton.
Up next
The Sabres return home to face the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:05 pm Tuesday night as they look to end their 3-game losing streak.