Preds Score Four in Third to Beat Blue Jackets Again

A four-goal third period will usually get the job done.
That's exactly what the Nashville Predators got on Saturday night, as they defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-2 final at Bridgestone Arena. The result gives the Preds a two-game sweep over the Jackets to start the season and four points that will matter more than ever in the months to come.
Eleven different Preds skaters recorded a point in the victory, and Predators goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 42 Columbus shots to earn his second win of the young campaign.
Although the first two outings weren't perfect, the Preds found themselves in the win column on both occasions, and that's what matters most.

"It's hard to win in this League, so you need excellent goaltending to win and I thought that was probably the difference in the game," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said. "We found a way to get two points, and I thought there were some really good things we did in the game, but I certainly think we need to tighten some things up and get some more consistent performances throughout the lineup."
"I don't think we had our best stuff tonight, but [Saros] held us in there for most of tonight," Preds forward Brad Richardson said. "You've got to find ways to win, and we did, so we'll take it."
Just as they did on Opening Night, the Blue Jackets opened the scoring when Nick Foligno tapped in a loose puck on the goal line at the 7:58 mark of the first period. However, fewer than two minutes later, Rocco Grimaldi sped down the right wing and fired a slap shot under the arm of goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to tie the game at one.

That score held until the final frame, and less than two minutes into the third, Filip Forsberg scored on a 2-on-1 for the second-straight game to give the Preds their first lead of the night. Columbus tied the contest soon after Forsberg's tally, but that was as close as the visitors came.

Richardson potted what proved to be the game winner 11 minutes into the third, and Luke Kunin and Colton Sissons added some insurance before the night was through. Kunin's tally was his second in as many games, and Richardson is one of just four Preds to have multiple points on the season.

"It was a little bit up and down," Sissons said of the third period. "Honestly, we gave up some pretty good looks coming our way, but capitalized on our chances that we got offensively, which is always nice, and got us a huge win."

In addition to 11 players each recording one point on the night, 15 different Preds registered at least one shot and all 18 skaters had at least 10 minutes of ice time in the win with contributions aplenty throughout the lineup.

"It's something we felt we had coming into the season, and we've added some talented players to our team that have offensive abilities and are really hard players to play against," Hynes said. "We have a lot of returning players that can [contribute], but it's good to see because it's something where you have to be a complete team to win. We're going to need to be a complete team to win this year, whether it's how we play defensively, or like tonight, we got offensive contributions throughout the lineup. That's what you need to be able to win, so that's a good sign moving forward."
"Up and down the lineup there's tons of talent," Kunin said. "It's great to see that, and we've just got to keep getting better each and every day."

Not to be overlooked, Saros was outstanding in net for the Preds, including a 15-save third period to earn wins in his first two starts in 2021.
"I'm feeling good, and it's a good start with two wins, but obviously it's a lot of hockey to be played," Saros said. "I'm just trying to focus on getting better every day and every game. It's a good start, and then we've just got to keep building on this thing."

With the first of 28 sets of two games against the same divisional opponent now complete, the Preds will turn their attention to back-to-back meetings with the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and Tuesday. The Predators know their work is only just beginning, and while they're pleased with their results over Columbus, the tests will only get tougher.
"It's two great wins for us…so we'll take the two points however they come," Grimaldi said. "We can't be satisfied with just a couple of wins. There's a lot of season left, so we've got to keep getting better every single day; enjoy this for the next 24 hours or so and get ready for Carolina."

Notes:
Yakov Trenin, Jarred Tinordi and Luca Sbisa were scratched for the Preds on Saturday night.
Prior to Saturday's game, Nashville added forward Mathieu Olivier from the taxi squad to the main roster. Olivier led the Preds with six hits on the night in 11:58 of ice time in his ninth-career game.
The Predators will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to town for a back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena before jetting off to Dallas for their first road trip of the season later in the week.