Marchessault tallied two assists, Wedgewood stopped 16 of 20.
By Anthony Pellegrino @Pellegrinoap50 IceInsider.com Predators All Access Reporter
BOSTON--Nashville opened up the regular season against Dallas in the home opener last night. In a spirited matchup, the Predators saw new faces in Stamkos, Marchessault, and Skjei make their official debuts.
The back-and-forth first half eventually saw Nashville take the game and run, with chances, that didn't seem to convert to goals. At the other end, when Dallas got a chance, they capitalized. Contributing to the Stars prevailing over Nashville, 4-3.
Newley extended goaltender Juuse Saros's absence due to a day-to-day injury was evident throughout the night, although Nashville limited Dallas's shots to just 20.
The group looked much more mature and focused compared to when chasing games last season and fought until the clock hit zero.
Veteran Gustav Nyquist had chances and came a matter of inches, on the power play, from closing the gap with Dallas. His deminer, other than slashing his stick to the ice on a missed chance, helped the group force pressure even when down.
Set the score aside:
Although Nashville lost, in more ways than not, it felt like they held the advantage to Dallas. They registered 16 more shots on goal than Dallas (36-20), and held pressure for the better half of the game.
The veteran leadership was evident as Nashville seemed to up their urgency, the more Dallas swayed the game. A late goal by Ryan O'Reilly put the Predators within one. As the clock ticked down, both Stamkos and O'Reilly grazed the post, inches away from tying, and closing out against the Stars.
Quality chances came, spceifically on the power play, where Head Coach Andrew Brunette expressed the timing was off, and offensive zone entries were questionable.
Power Play Patience:
Nashville's new power play, featuring the additions of Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault, had six chances to capitalize on last night's debut to capitalize.
They ended 1/6 on the night, with Filip Forsberg as the lone goal scorer from the five on four; Marchessault assisted on the goal.
Stamkos played on the top power play in the leauge last season, with Tampa Bay, not Nashville. It's going to take patience, and time for the power play standout to form chemistry with the new power play before the Predators five on four starts climbing by percentage.
Brunette spoke on Stamkos's chances postgame:
"I didn't think it was going to come right away, he had some really good looks. He did the things that make him special. Didn't get rewarded for it, I think it's a little bit of a process.
On the power play:
"There were plays and stretches where we created. But a little bit disappointed with some of our entries, and some of our faceoffs. When you give up pucks, it's hard a little of that, our focus has to be tighter. (And it will be), our guys haven't had a lot of reps together, it will take time. Tonight's the first time they actually got to play against (a real) NHL team."
The 2nd unit led by Philip Tomosino, Gustav Nyquist, and Tommy Novak put further pressure on Dallas's penalty kill. The unit seemed more comfortable than the first, with the addition of Brady Skjei on the blueline, who typically stays back towards the blue so Novak can step into the play.
The Predators found themselves with bad bounces, flukey passes, and posts through the power plays, which shows why hockey has adapted to the common nickname over the years, "a game of inches."
Goals will come for both units, with time.
Wedgewood's Struggles Continue:
Goaltender Juuse Saros was expected to start last night, in the home opener for Nashville. Just days before, he suffered an injury during the first period of the final preseason game against Carolina. Nothing severe, but enough that Saros would be a game-time decision, which ended up with Wedgewood in goal, against his former team, and most recent goaltender partner at the other end, Jake Oettinger.
He allowed four goals on 20 shots for a .800 SV%, not much better than he looked in preseason. Following the fourth goal, his eyes panned over to the bench, with an almost "am I done yet" look.
But it wasn't all on Wedgewood.
A pair of Dallas goals, came just 19 seconds apart from each other, from a 0-0 game to the Predators trailing by a pair 2-0.
Almost every player in gold, chased Stankoven behind the net, leaving Roope Hintz alone in front of the net with Wedgewood on the first goal.
Brady Skjei had misread a Dallas play on the third goal, leading to a sauce pass from former Pred, Matt Duchane; which went over the blocker of Wedgewood on Stars power play.
Brunette touched on Wedgewood following the game:
"We put him in a pretty tough spot. He didn't see a lot of rubber but when he did, they were pretty high quality It's a little self-inflicted (when in the second) we made some poor decisions.
Nashville send fill-in Matt Murray down to Milwaukee, indicating Saros will be ready to go tomorrow night, in Detroit.
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