Golden Knights score 5 straight, defeat Predators to end skid at 4

NASHVILLE --William Carrier, Phil Kessel, Chandler Stephenson each had a goal and an assist for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Adin Hill made 16 saves for the Golden Knights (30-18-4), who had scored five goals in their previous four games (0-2-2).
It was Vegas' first game since Jan. 28.
"I thought the break honestly couldn't come at a better time for our group," Hill said. "It felt like the last three games there in New York, especially that trip, I felt like we deserved to win those games and just pucks weren't going our way, pucks going off a skate or whatever.
"The energy the last couple of days in practice has been phenomenal, and I think we carried that into the game today."

Juuse Saros made 25 saves, and Matt Duchene scored for the Predators (24-19-6), who had won three straight and were playing for the first time since Jan. 26.
Nashville was held to a season-low 17 shots on goal.
"We didn't get enough shots through," Duchene said. "We took a lot of shots and they didn't get through. ... I thought our decisions were better in the second and third period, but you've got to get pucks through at the end of the day or keep possession until you can break them down. They did a great job of crowding the house and blocking shots."

Duchene put the Predators ahead 1-0 at 5:04 of the first period, scoring his fourth goal in four games. Roman Josi froze Hill before finding Duchene for a snap shot from the bottom of the right face-off circle.
Michael Amadio tied it 1-1 at 6:27, beating Saros glove side from the slot after receiving a backhand pass from Reilly Smith.
"I thought Amadio had one of his strongest games all year," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's got to continue to win his puck battles like he did tonight. I think it was one of his best games all year in terms of winning battles. He was an animal on the wall and making good plays after he won them."

Carrier scored 27 seconds later to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead, converting on a breakaway after forcing a turnover by Josi at Vegas' blue line.
"I pretty much gave them two easy goals in the first," Josi said. "The first one, the puck bounced, it's going to happen sometimes. I think I have to do a better job of recovering. The second one, I kind of stepped up and didn't get the puck. … I feel like we actually started well, and then gave them those two easy goals, which is on me."
Kessel extended the lead to 3-1 at 11:58. He tapped in the puck after Carrier's wraparound attempt slid through the crease.
"It was a good response to keep the game tight, and [we] came out of that first period with a 3-1 lead, [which] is good for us," Carrier said.

Stephenson made it 4-1 at 2:58 of the second period with a backhand that deflected past a sprawling Saros.
Alex Pietrangelo scored an empty-net goal with one minute remaining in the third period for the 5-1 final.
"They are chasing us, Nashville," Cassidy said. "It's tight in the [Western Conference], so you've got to make these games count. Let's start taking care of business, playing the right way, building our game so that it's really sound going toward the end of the year."
NOTES: Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud played for the first time since Dec. 11 because of a lower-body injury. He had one block and two hits in 18:22 of ice time. … Carrier and Kessel each has four points (two goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak. … Josi had an assist to extend his point streak to six games (six assists).