Nashville’s top line iced a seven-point performance, but the Predators ultimately saw their eight-game winning streak snapped in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.
“We didn't get to the standard that we've been playing to for the last couple games,” Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. “And it's a tight League, so if you don't play like that, obviously they’re going to be hanging around. And I think we could have done a little bit of a better job.”
“I don't know if our focus was completely as good as it has been of late, and it's hard to keep,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “But it's a good reminder for us. It's a hard League, and every night it's tough and anything can happen in this game.”
The result moves Nashville to 35-25-3 on the campaign and 17-15-1 at Bridgestone Arena.
QUICK HITS
A Bad Bounce
Leading the Canadiens 2-0 through 36 minutes, the Predators saw their momentum sapped late in the middle frame, first after allowing a goal from Brendan Gallagher, then after watching a strange bounce careen out of the corner and into a vacant net off the ensuing faceoff.
“It happens in hockey, you see all kinds of weird goals,” Brunette said. “And it's how you respond, and that develops a little bit of resiliency. And I liked the response in the third period. We were up 3-2, exactly where we wanted to be, and we kind of lost our focus and made a couple plays that weren’t characteristic of what we've done and how we were able to win hockey games.”
“Obviously, it was just a bad bounce,” forward Ryan O’Reilly said. “They were just trying to rim the puck and it went in. Juice was making the right read, and it's just one of those things that happens. We've got some good bounces too along the stretch here. It's unfortunate and I think, it's on myself and some of our leadership, too. We’ve got to find a way to respond better after a bad bounce like that happens, because it gave them life and that’s not what we wanted. It’s a disappointing game.”
First Line Connection
Despite the result, Nashville’s first line of Forsberg, O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist loomed large on Tuesday, combining for seven points (3g-4a).
“They carried us,” Brunette said. “We've been pretty spoiled with secondary scoring and secondary help, and we didn't have a whole lot of that tonight. It was a little reminiscent of early in the year. But they were outstanding all game and if we’d kept playing I think they would have scored again.”
“I thought Gus and Factor played great, obviously finding each other,” Forsberg said. “I was just trying to kind of make way and give them the puck and get open. And I thought we did a lot of things well, I just wish we could have gotten one more.”
Forsberg’s first-period goal was his 30th of the season and earned the forward his fourth 30-goal campaign, the first since 2021-22 (42).
