Juuse Saros stood strong in goal, making 31 saves as the Nashville Predators secured a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday. The deciding goal came from Ryan O’Reilly in the third period, putting the Predators ahead 2-0 with just over five minutes left in the game. Despite Ridly Greig scoring a late power-play goal for the Senators to narrow the gap, Jonathan Marchessault and Cole Smith sealed the win with empty-net goals in the final minute.
Marchessault broke the deadlock in the second period at 12:11, slipping the puck past Linus Ullmark after a turnover near the blue line. Although Jake Sanderson initially appeared to score for the Senators in the second period, the goal was disallowed following a review due to goaltender interference.
The game saw a high number of penalties in the first period, disrupting the flow for both teams. The Senators, who had struggled on the penalty kill in previous games, managed to keep the Predators’ power play at bay, going 0 for 6 on penalty kills. Ottawa made adjustments to their lineup, welcoming back Tyler Kleven from injury and introducing Jordan Spence and Olle Lycksell for their Senators debut, while Drake Batherson remained sidelined for a third consecutive game.
In upcoming matches, the Senators will face the Buffalo Sabres, while the Predators are set to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.