Predators win 6-3, extend Canadiens’ losing streak to 6

By Jim Diamond, The Associated Press on January 3, 2023.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Mattias Ekholm, Tommy Novak and Roman Josi each had a goal and an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Cody Glass, Colton Sissons and Matt Duchene also scored and Juuse Saros made 24 saves for Nashville. Nino Niederreiter had three assists and Mikael Granlund added two.

“We haven’t scored too many goals this year, so it’s nice to see, and hopefully that can open up some floodgates for the future,” Ekholm said.

Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher scored and Sam Montembeault stopped 28 shots for the slumping Canadiens, who have lost six straight and nine of 10.

Montreal has allowed 22 goals in the last three games.

“We shot ourselves in the foot early,” coach Martin St. Louis said. “We can’t kill a penalty right now to save our life. We’ve got to get better in that department. And I think you end up chasing the game all the time.”

Nashville scored three times in the first 10:42, including a power-play goal by Glass at 4:10. Glass played in his 100th NHL game.

“I think we’ve been working hard in practice and stuff like that,” Glass said. “It was nice to get a quick one, and then to put up six was a really good feeling for our team.”

Filip Forsberg, the NHL’s reigning First Star of the Week, assisted on Sissons’ first-period goal. He extended his point streak to four games. Forsberg has five goals and three assists during that span.

SAVARD RETURNS

Montreal defenceman David Savard returned to the lineup after missing 13 games with an upper-body injury. He had two shots on goal in 22:43 of ice time.

PK WOES

Montreal permitted two power-play goals by Nashville in four attempts. One second separated the Predators from converting another with the man advantage, as Ekholm’s goal at 10:42 of the first came just after Gallagher’s high-sticking penalty expired.

During their six-game slide, the Canadiens have given up 12 power-play goals in 22 times short-handed.

“It’s tough,” Savard said. “We’ve got to find ways to put it deep, put more pressure maybe a little bit and make sure every time we have a chance to clear it, it goes all the way down 200 feet.”

FABBRO SCRATCHED

Predators defenceman Dante Fabbro was a healthy scratch. His place in the lineup was taken by Roland McKeown, recalled Monday from Milwaukee of the AHL.

Fabbro, a first-round draft pick, has one goal and six assists in 34 games this season. He is in the second year of a two-year contract and is slated to become a restricted free agent in the off-season.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Host the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Predators: Begin a five-game Eastern road trip Thursday at Carolina.

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