O'Reilly, Nyquist Power Predators to 2-1 Win Over Kings

Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist scored and Juuse Saros made 33 saves as the Nashville Predators defeated the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.

“I thought it was a great road win,” Nyquist said. “That’s a good team over there and I thought we got good play from all the guys today. We checked hard and I really liked our third period too. [There was] no panic. So, I thought we played a really good road game and it was a nice win for us.”

“I thought we played really hard, and I thought Juice was outstanding,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “It was a really good road effort. I think we sealed it down the stretch and I liked our third period. We’re going in and trying to grow here as a team when we’ve got the lead on the road, and we just kind of wanted to get through the first seven and I thought we did a great job, and then I thought we controlled most of the third period. So, for me, for our group that's a big thing.”

The result moves Nashville to 25-19-1 on the season and 12-8-1 on the road as they head to Arizona to conclude their three-game road trip on Saturday against the Coyotes.

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The ‘Factor’ Factor

O’Reilly’s power-play goal was his 17^th goal and his 11th on the man-advantage this season; the forward is now third among NHL skaters in PPGs.

“We've been talking about the power play, and we haven't been good as of late and we have to be a little more simple,” O’Reilly said. “We need to be a little more simple. [We’ve got to] get pucks to the net and win battles… It was a great heads up play by [Josi] to shoot it there. And I was just lucky to get a piece on it…That was a big goal for us tonight to spark us and get some offense going.”

Thursday was O’Reilly’s 11th multi-point game of the season, his second since Jan. 12 at Dallas (1g-2a).

Per NHL PR, among players with a new team this season, O’Reilly’s 17 goals are tied with Alex DeBrincat for the second most, behind Yegor Sharangovich (19).

Josi for Vezina

With an assist on O’Reilly’s power-play goal, Roman Josi extended his point streak to five games (7a) and collected his 30^th helper of the season.

However, Josi’s biggest contribution of the evening may have come in the final seconds of the game.

Pulling a puck floating toward the back of the net out of the air with his stick, then batting it out of danger with his glove, Josi made his second highlight-reel save of the season at a crucial moment in the game.

“That was huge,” O’Reilly said. “I think he's had some highlight reel saves this year, like the one glove save he made earlier too… He can do it all, but he's definitely leading the way for us.”

Nyquist’s Game-Winner

Nyquist’s game-winning goal was his 12th marker of the season and the eighth in his last 13 outings.

With the goal, Nyquist surpassed his goal total from last season (11) in five fewer games.

UP NEXT

Puck drop at Mullett Arena is set for 2 p.m. CT; the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio.

NOTES

• Per NHL PR, Thursday was Nashville’s 12th game this season decided by one goal; the total is tied for the fourth-most among all teams. Only the Canadiens (14), Stars (13) and Capitals (13) have more such victories.
• Thursday was Nashville’s first game and win against former netminder David Rittich since Feb. 27, 2020, a 4-3 overtime win for the Predators that saw Mikael Granlund net the tying goal with 0.1 remaining in regulation and the game-winner in OT.
• Tyson Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Michael McCarron and Kiefer Sherwood were scratched and did not skate in Thursday’s game.