The Lightning have had success against the Predators this season, winning five of their past six meetings going into Saturday night’s game at Nashville.
But the Predators were suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NHL, a squad that battled from near the bottom of the Central Division into fourth place, which would be the division’s final playoff position.
Despite continuing to allow too many open looks, the Lightning (28-11-2) were able to cool the Predators with a 3-0 win in Nashville, Tenn. Tampa Bay improved to 20-0-0 when leading after two periods.
The Lightning were without captain Steven Stamkos, who is expected to miss both games in Nashville, but are expected to receive reinforcements Tuesday. That’s when defenseman David Savard, acquired from the Blue Jackets in a three-team trade, is expected to play in his first game for Tampa Bay.
From the game’s opening minutes Saturday, when Andrei Vasilevskiy turned away a two-on-one breakaway, the Lightning’s star goaltender stopped a Nashville team that entered the night having won nine of their past 10.
Vasilevskiy recorded 36 saves — the fifth time in his past seven games that he’s had more than 30 — in his fourth shutout of the season.
Vasilevskiy received help from an overturned goal when the Lightning challenged Ryan Ellis’ score in the second period, saying the Predators were offsides. After a lengthy review, the goal was taken off the scoreboard.
The Predators (22-19-1) outshot the Lightning 18-5 in a first period that saw Nashville dominate in zone time, but Tampa Bay still went into the first intermission leading 1-0.
Just 6:45 into the game, Yanni Gourde spun around and fed a streaking Ross Colton across the left circle. The rookie forward beat Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne with a backhanded shot through the five hole. Gourde’s assist was his fifth in the past two games, while Colton’s goal was his seventh in his first 15 NHL games..
The Lightning tightened their play in the second period and added to their lead.
After Ellis’ goal was overturned, Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak scored with 5:56 left in the period on a shot on net from the point that deflected twice, including off Ellis’ leg in front of Rinne and into the net.
Among Vasilevskiy’s most sparkling saves, he turned away Rem Pitlick in the first period after the Nashville rookie weaved through defenders and had an open look. Then Vasilevskiy made a toe save on Petlick’s one-timer from the slot while Nashville was on a second-period power play.
In the third period, Vasilevskiy made a remarkable pad save on Rocco Grimaldi’s one-timer from the right circle during a Nashville power play.
Gourde scored an empty-netter with 45.5 seconds left in the game.
