Preds Top Wild to Win Third Straight

Four different Predators found the back of the net as Nashville defeated the Minnesota Wild by a 4-2 final on Monday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result gives the Preds three consecutive victories and sees them finish their first homestand by collecting six of eight possible points in the standings.
Not only did the Preds start strong once more against the Wild, but they kept up their consistency throughout Monday night's contest to put forth arguably their best effort of the last three wins.
"We had a great start our last home game, and I thought tonight was even better," Preds center Ryan Johansen said. "We didn't score three goals in the first period, but every line was creating so much and we were doing a lot of good things. That's the way you want to start games."

After going the first four games of the season without a tally on the power play, Nashville has now converted in consecutive games. On Monday, it was Craig Smith who slid a rebound home with the man advantage to give his club a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota tied the game before the opening period was out with a power-play strike of their own, but goals from Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg in the second stanza saw the Preds take a 3-1 lead. The Wild got their second late in the middle frame to enter the third down by just one, but that was as close as they got.
Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne made a number of key saves down the stretch, including helping to kill off a late penalty. Then, with 11 seconds left - and fresh out of the box - Miikka Salomaki slid the puck into an empty net to ice it and help deliver Nashville's fifth triumph in six tries on the season.

"There were some good things that we did, and the wins are the biggest things," Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's also early in the season, and we are trying to get our game in order. Hopefully, we will continue to get better."
The consecutive victories to close out the homestand are welcomed, but it's the manner in which they've occurred that make them even more satisfying.
"The effort's always there with this group, it's just the consistency of our game plan," Johansen said. "We weren't happy with our home opener, and then the last three games, we took a big step in getting our game and our confidence at home up."
"We're getting back to our identity," Forsberg said. "We've been playing better and better hockey throughout this homestand, and six out of eight points is great."

Sharing Is Caring:
In the spirit of the autumn season, Ryan Johansen is dishing out the apples.
The centerman recorded two assists in Nashville's 4-2 win against Minnesota on Monday, just 48 hours after he added another two against the Islanders.
Johansen now has multiple assists in consecutive games for the fourth time in his career and already has five through six games on the season, showing off the playmaking abilities he's always had. But, when they're on display as they have been as of late, it's a treat to watch.
"He knows what he's going to do and knows where the other guy is going to be and he delivers the pass and makes the play," Laviolette said of Johansen. "One, I think he keeps evolving because he's a young player that's getting more mature and more experience and more situations, and I also think that it's got to do with the chemistry on his line."
Johansen, of course, wasn't about to take all the credit himself, instead praising those who are skating alongside him for finishing off the plays he's helping to start.
"My job is pretty easy - well, not that easy - but it's easier playing with [Forsberg and Arvidsson] out there," Johansen said of his linemates. "We're having fun together out there and just trying to outwork the opponents and do our thing."
But no matter, No. 92 deserves a healthy heaping of praise for the recent successes at 501 Broadway.
"Just two really nice plays - especially to Ekholm," Forsberg said of Johansen's assists. "Just patient with the puck, trying to wait for a perfect opportunity and all Ekholm had to do was hit the net. When [Johansen] is on his game, he's one of the best players in the League."

Notes:
Preds defenseman Yannick Weber skated in his 400th career game.
At home, Nashville has earned a point in seven of its last eight contests against Minnesota, going 6-1-1 with four consecutive victories.
Pekka Rinne earned his 314th career win, moving him within five of tying Miikka Kiprusoff for the most by a Finnish-born goaltender in NHL history.
With the four-game homestand now finished, the Preds will remain in Nashville until jetting off for the province of Alberta for a back to back set on Friday and Saturday in Calgary and Edmonton. In the meantime, the Predators will hold practice at Ford Ice Center on Tuesday afternoon at noon CT. All fans are invited to attend the session.