A familiar problem is cropping up for the Red Wings.
They can't score goals, an issue for quite a while now, and Tuesday it led to the Wings losing 2-0 in Nashville.
The Predators returned home after a franchise-record 16-day road trip. But never mind tallying all those miles, and rarely leaving their hotel room, Nashville appeared to be the more energized team most of the night.
The Wings put 31 shots on goaltender Juuse Saros — Darren Helm had two superb chances go awry — but the Wings failed on three power plays and extended their goal-less streak to 130 minutes, 55 seconds.
The Wings have scored two or less goals in 22 of 33 games this season.
Mikael Granlund (power play) ad Mathieu Olivier scored for Nashville (15-17-1), winners in four of their last five games, as the Predators attempt a final push for the playoffs.
Goaltender Thomas Greiss stopped 32 shots for the Wings (10-19-4), who've lost two consecutive games after possessing a modest two-game win streak.
Roman Josi, the reigning Norris Trophy (best defenseman) winner, quickly made an impact after missing the last seven games with injury. Josi's shot from the top of the slot was tipped by Granlund on the power play at 13:59 of the first period, Granlund's sixth goal, giving Nashville a 1-0 lead.
After both teams failed to capitalize on a power play early in the second period — Helm was denied by Saros on a shorthanded breakaway — the Predators extended their lead to 2-0 on Olivier's goal.
The Predators blitzed the Wings down the ice, forward Yakov Trenin taking the puck around the net. Trenin's shot was blocked by Greiss, but the puck went to Olivier on the side, and with Greiss without a stick, Olivier buried his second goal this season.
