Predators surge past Blues, end five-game skid

NASHVILLE-- Roman Josi had a goal and two assists, and the Nashville Predators won for the first time in six games, 6-2 against the St. Louis Blues at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene each had three assists, and Juuse Saros made 33 saves for the Predators (3-4-1). Nashville had gone 0-4-1 since defeating the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 8 at the 2022 NHL Global Series in Prague.
"It's hard coming out of a five-game losing streak like that, come [to] face a great Blues team in our (Central) division," Predators forward Michael McCarron said. "I think we responded the right way. Obviously, some emotion comes out in a divisional game and it's great to get the win tonight. Hopefully we can build off this."

Justin Faulk had two assists and Thomas Greiss made 35 saves for the Blues (3-3-0), who have lost three straight games. St. Louis has been outscored 13-3 during the skid.
"I thought we competed hard tonight," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "I thought we were better offensively. We had good looks. Again, it didn't go in, but I liked our battle at the net more tonight.
"The bottom line is we are competing hard, I like that. It was a heavy game here today. I thought that we showed up. But in the end, we've got to make less mistakes and just keep going. Pucks will go in eventually."

Zach Sanford scored the game-winning goal against his former team. He gave Nashville a 3-2 lead at 16:24 of the second period on a wraparound that deflected off the skate of St. Louis defenseman Torey Krug. Sanford played four seasons with the Blues, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2019.
"It's always fun playing these types of games," Sanford said. "It's always fun scoring, but when you can do it against those guys, it's a little bit better."

Ryan Johansen made it 4-2 at 1:11 of the third period, knocking in the rebound of Forsberg's shot. Each of Nashville's first four goals came from right around the crease.
Josi extended the lead to 5-2 at 13:06 on the power play. The Predators captain had one point (an assist) in his first seven games, a year after he had 96 points (23 goals, 73 assists) and finished second in voting for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the top defenseman in the NHL.
"Yeah, it was not too hot of a start for me," Josi said. "But I think sometimes it's funny in hockey. You try to focus on your game, you try to focus on the process, and I think it's all about how you feel about your game and how you're playing. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. But I thought my game's gotten better over the last couple of games. I think you saw it tonight."

Mikael Granlund made it 6-2 at 15:14 with an empty-net goal.
Robert Thomas gave the Blues a 1-0 lead on their first shot 1:07 into the first period, tipping Faulk's shot from the blue line over Saros' right shoulder.
Tanner Jeannot tied it 1-1 at 16:56 on a rebound of Josi's shot that deflected off the skate of Predators forward Yakov Trenin.
Brayden Schenn gave the Blues a 2-1 lead at 6:24 of the second period on the power play. Colton Parayko passed to Schenn at the top of the right face-off circle, and he shot over Saros' right shoulder.
McCarron tied it 2-2 at 15:47, backhanding a rebound in the crease.
"I don't think it was a 6-2 hockey game," Schenn said. "We played good at times. We had chances there at the beginning of the second period. We made a mistake, I did, didn't get the puck out. Before I know it, it's 2-2 and kind of chased the game after that."
NOTES: Thomas has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 14 games against Nashville. … St. Louis was 12-for-12 on the penalty kill this season before Josi's goal. … The win was the 900th in Predators history. … Nashville forward Eeli Tolvanen was a healthy scratch for the first time this season.