Saros, Predators shut out Rangers for fifth straight win

NEW YORK --Juuse Saros made 32 saves, and the Nashville Predators swept a four-game road trip with a 1-0 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Saros, who made 16 saves in the third period, has two shutouts in his past five starts.
Philip Tomasino scored for Nashville (17-10-1), which has won five straight overall and is 9-5-1 on the road.
"We're playing a fast game to get us on the attack," Predators coach John Hynes said. "In the offensive zone, we're skating and working really well as a five-man unit. We're competitive on the puck. Those things have been really strong for us and that's the identity we want to have. We have gotten really good goaltending, and special teams have come up at key times."
Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves for the Rangers (18-6-3), who have lost two straight at home after winning their previous eight at the Garden.
It's the second time New York has been shut out this season (6-0 at the Calgary Flames on Nov. 6).
"I didn't like any of the game," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "We played too soft. We didn't play a hard enough game. It was a man's game, and we didn't play it."
Tomasino gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 1:44 of the second period on a wrist shot that beat Georgiev glove side from above the right hash marks. With Mikael Granlund in front, Filip Forsberg set up the goal by playing the puck out of the left corner.
It was Tomasino's second goal in his past 17 games and fifth this season.
"There was a lot of guys in front of the net there, but I saw an opening and tried to float it in," Tomasino said. "It was a great play by Forsberg to find me there all alone, and just tried to get one in. I was lucky enough to beat everyone. It was a big goal."
Tomasino has been playing with Forsberg and Granlund because forward Matt Duchene has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury. Duchene leads the Predators with 13 goals and is second with 25 points; Roman Josi and Granlund are tied for first with 27.

Nashville also had to play Sunday without its top center
Ryan Johansen
, who was added to the NHL COVID-19 protocol list prior to the game. Johansen is fourth on the Predators with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists).
"I think it shows what kind of team we are," Saros said. "We've been a really tight-knit group since the first day of training camp. Even if there is something unexpected that happens, I feel whoever is in the lineup we can always trust each other."
Gallant did not like the Rangers play in the first period, when they were outshot 13-6.
"After that, I thought it was better, but the first period they came in and bumped us, won all the one-on-one battles," Gallant said. "It looked like we weren't ready to play in the first."
Being physical early was part of the Predators' plan that they discussed at the morning skate, which took place at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, because the Garden's ice wasn't available with the New York Knicks home for an afternoon game.
"We didn't even show video this morning, it was more about mindset and the challenge that we had today," Hynes said. "There could be excuses, the end of a seven-day road trip, an abnormal gameday because we had to go to Prudential Center and back, but it was all about the competitive spirit and rising to the challenge against a top five team here."
The Rangers had chances to tie the game on a power play that started at 6:25 of the third period, but Saros made four saves despite being under pressure throughout the two minutes. New York was 0-for-2 with the man-advantage in the game.
"It definitely would have been a pretty good time for us to come up with a big goal," Rangers forward Chris Kreider said. "There are going to be those stretches, but we've got to continue to stick to the process, stick to the things that we've done that have given us success. Over the last few games, there have been moments we've gotten away from that entirely."
NOTES: The Rangers were without rookie defenseman Nils Lundkvist, who missed the game because of a non-COVID illness. Libor Hajek replaced him and made his season debut, getting two blocks in 12:53. … Michael McCarron replaced Johansen after being recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. He had three shots and two hits in 12:10. … Rangers forward
Alexis Lafreniere
was limited to two shifts in the third period and didn't play the final 10:14. Gallant said he was fine, "just wanted to give him a seat. He wasn't alone." … Kreider played in his 600th NHL game, all with the Rangers.