The Nashville Predators put forth a much-improved effort despite falling 3-2 to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena. Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators, but they couldn’t manage to secure a win after Alexander Ovechkin’s game-winning goal in the third period.
The Predators, coming off a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, were more encouraged by their performance in this game. Despite the loss, Stamkos expressed that the team showed the kind of work ethic they want to replicate moving forward. “That effort and work ethic, that’s the style of play that we want,” he said. Head coach Andrew Brunette agreed, praising the team’s determination, even though they didn’t get the result. “The effort was there,” he said, adding that the team would build on this performance.
The game saw an early lead from the Predators when Parssinen tipped in a shot from Luke Evangelista just over three minutes into the game, marking his first goal of the season. However, Washington quickly responded with a goal from Connor McMichael, and then Aliaksei Protas put the Capitals ahead 2-1 before Stamkos tied it up shortly after.
Ovechkin’s third-period goal ultimately proved to be the difference, and despite a challenge from the Predators to overturn a goaltender interference call on a potential tying goal, the result stood. Juuse Saros kept Nashville in the game with 33 saves, while the Predators registered 35 shots and hit four posts/crossbars in the second period alone.
Despite the loss, the Predators took positives from the game, focusing on the smarter, more effective play they showed. Stamkos highlighted their forechecking and ability to create turnovers as keys to the improved effort. The team will look to build on this as they head to Florida to face the Panthers on Thursday.
In other news, forward Tommy Novak was a late scratch with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Colton Sissons also left the game after blocking a shot and didn’t return, with the team later announcing he has an upper-body injury. Mark Jankowski and Dante Fabbro were scratched, while Michael McCarron and Philip Tomasino re-entered the lineup.
