Predators Collect Third-Straight Win in 4-1 Victory Over Kings

Three down, two to go.

Yakov Trenin and Mark Jankowski got things going before Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon sealed the deal on the empty net, earning the Nashville Predators their third straight win in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.

“It was a real gutsy win,” Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “This was one of those games that we knew was going to be hard. [Los Angeles is] playing really well right now and we knew it was going to be a game of little margins and we've lost little margin battles over the course of the season, but I think we're growing, we're learning. And I thought tonight we won that little battle just enough to win the game. It was a hard hockey game and I’m proud of our group for staying with it all game.”

“We just had committed efforts up and down the lineup,” Sissons said. “We were rolling everybody, and everybody was having a positive impact. Our game is there with us right now, and hopefully we can keep this momentum going.”

The result moves Nashville to 30-25-2 on the season, 16-10-2 on the road and 3-0-0 on their five-game road trip as they turn their attention toward San Jose on Saturday.

QUICK HITS

Three for No. 10

Sissons may have scored the prettiest empty-net goal of his career, and quite possibly the season.

Ringing a deep shot from behind Nashville’s blueline off the crossbar and into the vacant Kings’ net, Sissons gave his teammates extra breathing room with three minutes remaining in regulation.

“It's up there,” he said. “I haven’t had too many in recent years, and I can't say I did it on purpose, but it was cool.”

The empty-netter wasn’t the only impressive part of the forward’s evening.

Tacking on another two assists, No. 10 earned his first three-point performance of the season and the fourth of his career.

Admirals Line Stays Hot 

Playing on a line together since Nashville’s road trip began in St. Louis, Jankowski, Luke Evangelista and Tommy Novak kept up their offensive contributions on Thursday.

Tapping Evangelista’s rebound home on the doorstep, Jankowski collected his second marker of the season and his first since Dec. 5 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.

Evangelista picked up his third point (2g-1a) in as many games and Novak his second (1g-1a) in the same span.

“They're creating chances, which you expect from them,” Brunette said. “And I think they're really working. They’re really hounding pucks and they’re on pucks. They're playing the offensive zone and then their skill takes over. But the work and skill comes behind it, and that's what they're doing right now.”

300 Helpers

With a secondary assist on Trenin’s first-period goal, Ryan McDonagh picked up his 300th career helper.

McDonagh is the eighth active American-born defenseman to reach the 300-assist marker, joining Ryan Suter (573), John Carlson (509), Alex Goligoski (387), Torey Krug (386), Kevin Shattenkirk (372), Nick Leddy (331) and Seth Jones (307).

Two for No. 3

With a goal and an assist, Lauzon recorded his first multi-point performance of the 2023-24 campaign and his first since March 6, 2023. 

Trenin’s Ninth

Trenin’s first-period goal was his ninth of the season and his first since Jan. 29 vs. the Ottawa Senators.

“Our line played fast and supported each other all over the ice,” Trenin said. “We got a good faceoff and a good play on the wall to bring the puck into the zone. Sissons made a great play and got me alone in the slot and I made a good move.”

UP NEXT

The Predators continue their five-game road trip on Saturday when they face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.

Puck drop is at 9 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio.

NOTES

• Egor Afanasyev, Tyson Barrie and Denis Gurianov were scratched and did not skate in Thursday’s game.