Predators push past Stars in the wake of defensive adversity, team resets

Josi, Carrier, and Lazoun absent due to injuries, Predators score four

(C/ USA Today/ Jerome Miron)

By Anthony Pellegrino @Pellegrinoap50 IceInsider.com Predators All Access Reporter

BOSTON--The second-longest winless streak in Predators franchise history was snapped Thursday night. Eight games without a win, the last one coming on November 23rd, a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

It also took nine games, for the team to obtain more than a two-goal lead; the last happening against Winnipeg.

Nashville traveled to face a Dallas Stars team that has lost just one game at the American Airlines Center this season last night.

Another hill to climb, Roman Josi, Alex Carrier, and Jeremy Lauzon, three top blueliners for Nashville were ruled out due to injuries.

Meaning Brady Skjei and Nick Blankenburg would man the Predators top defensive unit. Followed by Marc Del Gaizo and Luke Schenn playing on the second unit, and Kevin Gravel accompanied by Adam Wilsby on the third line.

Brady Skeji and Luke Schenn are NHL veterans. Hence, why Barry Trotz brought the defenseman in to round out veteran presence and experience on the blue line. Yet Blankenburg has played a total of just 63 NHL games. Gravel has played in 133 games, Del Gaizo 27, and Wilsby has appeared in just eight total games.

(Gravel/ C/ Predators)

Kevin Gravel's last NHL game came on April 4th, 2023. Due to injuries, he now earns another shot where the Admirals push to be:

"It's exciting, this is where you want to play, what you push for in the minors," Gravel said before the team left for Dallas yesterday..."Trying to bring a steady presence to the D-zone and help out on the PK if asked. Just try and play a sound and steady game, help these guys however I can."

He would later earn an assist on Ryan O'Reilly's second goal of the game.

Justus Annunen made his second start in goal for Nashville, since coming over from Colorado in exchange for Scott Wedgewood.

The Predators opened puck drop with control. Showing a more confident group from what's been at hand the past handful of games. Adam Wilsby would receive a pass from Tommy Novak who beat Jake Oettinger for his first NHL goal, until it wasn't, later ruled offsides.

In the second period, Jonathan Marchessault beat Nils Lundkvist behind the net, feeding a pass to Ryan O'Reilly, all alone in the slot, shooting over Oettinger's glove putting the Predators up 2-0.

Steven Stamkos's feed-pass left Tommy Novak all alone with Oettinger, placing the puck over his left-leg to give Nashville a two-goal lead.

(C/ AP Photo/ Otero)

O'Reilly would finish the second period scoring a tipped shot fired by Kevin Gravel, that cleanly beat Oettinger.

Dallas's offensive surges happened at times in the second, leading into the third.

Where Liam Bischel would wrist a shot past Annunen's blocker side, for his first career NHL goal in his NHL debut, opening the scoring for Dallas.

Zach L'Heureux sealed the deal for the Predators with an empty net goal.

"This win feels very good,” said Ryan O’Reilly following his 1,100th NHL game. “I think as a group, we want to be harder to play against, and kind of consistent with that, and as a group we were. After sitting out for a few games, you kind of take for granted how lucky you are just to play the game."

He missed three games out with an injury, returning tonight with a seemingly calm, and confident deminer:

"It's a nice reset for myself to come in and bring some life to the lineup. And, just as a group, we were hard to play against, big saves, big blocks, pucks over at the right time. The challenges can be followed up."

Andrew Brunette's satisfaction stemmed from a successful second period postgame:

“I think for the group, we stayed with it the whole game. We haven't had many games that we put 60 minutes in. A big focus was our second periods of late. And I thought our second was the best period. So I'm really happy for them. I think some of the guys deserve to feel better."

The game--a confidence builder for the group.

Although allowing the Stars to find 36 shots on goal, the defensive end did what any inexperienced blueline group should be advised to do, blocking 18 shots throughout the game.

A complete defensive effort.

Yet the other 35 shots, were all turned aside by Justus Annunen, who stepped up in his second game as a Nashville Predator, giving the team a chance to continue to run away with the game.

(C/ Nashville Predators)

Evidently, in the 2nd and 3rd periods, where he saw a combined 31 shots in 40 minutes of play. Now 1-1, with a .953 SV%, and 1.50 GAA in two games with Nashville.

Adam Wilsby, a defensive standout in just his eighth NHL game, spoke postgame on the performance in goal:

“He’s just so calm,” Wilsby credited Annunen. “Even when they got some good chances on us, he’s just calm. So it's very impressive.”

The Predators travel to Colorado facing the Avalanche Saturday before returning to Nashville for a four-game homestand through Christmas. They look to turn a consecutive losing streak into a Christmas Miracle, perhaps a winning streak.

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