On Wednesday, the Vegas Golden Knights (17-10-11) played the final game of a four-game homestead against the Nashville Predators (18-17-4). They took a 2-0 lead nine minutes into the first period, but crumbled and allowed three goals over a five-minute stretch. The Predators tacked on another goal in the second period, and the Golden Knights fell 4-2.
The Golden Knights struck on the power play at 5:35 in the first period. Noah Hanifin walked the line and found Pavel Dorofeyev in the right circle. Dorofeyev fed Mark Stone back-door with a shot-pass, and Stone chipped it over Justus Annunen’s pad.
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 9:06 in the first. Tomáš Hertl fired a clapper from the point, and Ben Hutton redirected it past Annunen from the slot.
After being outplayed in the first ten minutes, the Predators turned the tides. They scored three goals in 5:01 and outshot the Golden Knights 5-1 over that stretch.
The Predators got on the board at 11:20 in the first. Nick Perbix fired a shot from the point that beat Akira Schmid through a screen.
The Predators found the equalizer at 15:37 in the first on the power play. Filip Forsberg drifted down to the right circle and threaded a cross-ice pass to Steven Stamkos, who one-timed it past Schmid from his office for his 600th career goal.
The Predators took the lead at 16:22 in the first. Reid Schaefer wristed a shot from the left circle and it found its way past Schmid.
The Golden Knights didn’t improve in the second period. The Predators outshot them 6-4, and a hard hit altered the course of the game and sealed the Golden Knights’ fate. Brayden McNabb was slow to get uo after a collision with Michael Bunting at center ice. He immediately went down the tunnel and did not return.
Keegan Kolesar sought retribution for Bunting’s hit and landed a few cross-checks before burying him into the Predators’ bench. The officials handed him a roughing minor, a cross-checking minor, and a ten minute misconduct.
The Predators added another on the ensuing power play. Nick Blankenburg fired a shot from the point, and Michael Bunting tipped it home.
In the third period, the Golden Knights pushed hard but to no avail. They outshot the Predators 18-3 and generated 12 high-danger chances to Nashville’s two, but didn’t get another past Justus Annunen.
During a late power play opportunity, Bruce Cassidy pulled Akira Schmid for the extra attacker with 4:33 remaining in the third period. Despite sustained pressure for the full stretch, the Golden Knights couldn’t score another and fell 4-2.
