Golden Knights beat Predators 5-2 as Karlsson scores go-ahead goal
Key takeaways
- The Golden Knights beat the Predators 5-2 on Tuesday in Nashville.
- William Karlsson scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period.
- Five different Vegas players scored in the win.
The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Tuesday night. The game took place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. William Karlsson scored the goal that put Vegas ahead for good.
The win came one night after a loss. Vegas had lost 4-2 at Minnesota on Monday. The team bounced back fast.
It scored three straight goals to pull away.
Vegas now has a 6-2 record. The team has won five of its last six games. It leads the Western Conference with 12 points.
What happened
Nashville struck first. Ryan O'Reilly put the Predators up 1-0 at 3:55 of the first period. Filip Forsberg put the puck on net from the left circle.
The rebound went right to O'Reilly in front. He backhanded it into an open net.
Vegas answered fast. Tomas Hertl tied the game 1-1 at 6:46. He fired a wrist shot over the glove of goalie Juuse Saros.
The shot came from the left circle. It came just after a Nashville power play had ended.
Then Jack Eichel gave Vegas the lead. He scored at 12:48 of the first period. Brayden McNabb passed the puck across the ice.
Eichel drove to the net. He tipped the pass in as he moved across the crease. Vegas led 2-1.
Nashville had a big chance to tie the game. Jack Drury got a penalty shot at 13:09 of the first period. A penalty shot is a free shot at the goalie.
No other players are near. Vegas goalie Adin Hill stopped the shot. He kept the 2-1 lead.
The second period brought more drama. Adam Edstrom tied the game 2-2 at 8:45 of the second period. It was a short-handed goal.
Nashville was down one player at the time. Edstrom broke away with the puck. He lost the puck at first.
He got it back behind the net. Then he slid a shot past Hill. It was the first short-handed goal of his career.
The game stayed tied until late in the period. Then Karlsson struck. He scored at 17:44 of the second period.
He took a pass from Mitch Marner. He fired a wrist shot from the right circle. The shot went into the top corner of the net.
Vegas led 3-2.
The third period belonged to Vegas. Trevor Connelly scored at 4:49 of the third period. Noah Hanifin passed from behind the goal line.
Connelly shot the puck over the glove of Saros. Vegas led 4-2.
Brett Howden closed the scoring at 6:24 of the third period. He deflected a shot between his legs. The puck went in off the left post.
The final score was 5-2.
Why it matters
The win shows the depth of Vegas. Five different players scored. Hertl, Eichel, Karlsson, Connelly, and Howden each found the net.
No one player had to carry the team.
That kind of balance is hard to stop. If one line is quiet, another line can score. Nashville learned that on Tuesday.
Every time the Predators answered, a new Vegas scorer stepped up.
The win also shows the mental strength of the team. Vegas lost the night before in Minnesota. Back-to-back games are hard.
The team must travel, rest, and play again the next night. Many teams look tired in the second game.
Vegas did not look tired. It played fast in the third period. It scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the final period.
It pulled away when the game was still close.
Hill also played a big part. He made 25 saves. His biggest save came on the penalty shot in the first period.
If Drury had scored, the game could have changed. Hill stood tall and kept the lead.
For Nashville, the loss is a step back. The Predators have a 2-2-2 record. They have dropped four of their first six games.
They scored first on Tuesday. They tied the game in the second period. But they could not hold on.
O'Reilly had a goal and an assist for Nashville. Edstrom scored his short-handed goal. Saros made 20 saves.
But the Predators gave up three goals in a row. That run decided the game.
What happens next
Vegas returns home next. The Golden Knights host Calgary on Thursday. The team will try to keep its hot start going.
A home crowd will help.
Nashville also plays Thursday. The Predators host San Jose. The team will try to fix its third-period problems.
It will also try to get back to winning at home.
The early standings look good for Vegas. The team has 12 points. It leads the West.
It is still early in the season. But a strong start gives the team room to breathe.
For Karlsson, the goal was his second in two nights. He scored on Monday in Minnesota too. He is finding his touch at the right time.
His go-ahead goal on Tuesday was the key moment of the game.
The turning points
Three moments shaped the game. Each one changed the feel of the night.
The first was Hill's penalty shot save. The score was 2-1 at the time. A goal would have tied the game in the first period.
Hill stopped the shot. He kept the lead. He gave his team a lift.
The second was Edstrom's short-handed goal. Nashville was down a player. Most teams just try to kill time in that spot.
Edstrom scored instead. The goal tied the game at 2-2. It brought the home crowd back to life.
The third was Karlsson's goal late in the second period. The game was tied. The period was almost over.
Karlsson fired a shot into the top corner. The goal gave Vegas the lead for good. Nashville never caught up again.
After that goal, Vegas took full control. The team scored twice more in the third period. The Predators ran out of answers.
The big picture
The NHL season is long. Teams play 82 games. One win in October does not win a title.
But early wins build trust. They build belief in the system.
Vegas has that trust now. The team has won five of six games. It has scored goals from many players.
Its goalie is making big saves. That is the shape of a strong team.
Nashville has time to fix its problems. The team has played only six games. But it must tighten up late in games.
It gave up three straight goals on Tuesday. That cannot happen often in a tough league.
Both teams play again on Thursday. Vegas will face Calgary at home. Nashville will face San Jose at home.
The next games will show if Tuesday was a sign of things to come, or just one night in a long season.
Read more: Blues rout Senators 7-2 as three players score twice each. Also see Alex DeBrincat agrees to seven-year 91 million dollar extension with Red Wings. Related: Frozen Frenzy packs 32 NHL teams into one wild night and the Golden Knights-Wild game from Monday.
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