NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) In a city that appreciates an impressive debut performance, new Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris produced quite a first game Saturday night.
Turris scored a goal, added an assist and led all Predators centers in ice time to help Nashville beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 in a shootout. It was the first game in a Predators uniform for Turris, who was acquired from Ottawa this week in a three-way trade.
”I think it just shows his versatility, to be able to score goals or make plays,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. ”Because the play he made to set up the goal was nice as well.
”Sometimes it’s difficult to jump in on a new team. You get here, you’ve got new teammates, a new system and you’re playing in front of your home crowd for the first time. Sometimes that can be overwhelming. I thought he was excellent.”
The only thing Turris didn’t do was score on his shootout attempt, but that didn’t matter in the end. Filip Forsberg and Kevin Fiala scored shootout goals for the Predators, and Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne allowed only Sidney Crosby to score in the shootout.
The meeting was the second of the season for the two teams who met last season in the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins won the first contest 4-0 in Pittsburgh on Oct. 7. Pittsburgh was last in Music City on June 11, when the Penguins beat the Predators in Game 6 to capture the Stanley Cup.
”It’s obviously a big win for the team and going back (to last season), definitely special,” Forsberg said. ”But at the same time, you can’t just think about that. It’s in the past, we’re going forward and it’s two points.”
The Predators won for the fourth straight game, a streak that started with road victories over Anaheim, Los Angeles and Columbus. Pittsburgh has lost four of its last five games.
”I liked our team tonight,” said Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan, whose team rallied from 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to force overtime. ”It was a hard-fought game out there. I really liked our response. I liked our resilience. I think if we play hard like that and execute the way we did tonight, we’re going to win more games.”
The Pens tied it at 3 early in the third, when Jake Guentzel scored on a breakaway after Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban lost an edge and fell in the offensive zone.
The teams exchanged goals once more after that, with Calle Jarnkrok giving Nashville a 4-3 lead before Brian Dumoulin tied the contest, scoring his first goal of the season with 7:43 left in regulation.
”I thought we played well enough to get two points, but that’s hockey,” Sullivan said. ”We have to control the controlables.”
Subban also scored in regulation for Nashville. Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel also added goals for Pittsburgh.
NOTES: Former Penguins forward Nick Bonino missed the chance to play against his former team, missing his 11th straight game due to a lower-body injury. Bonino participated in the morning skate and is expected to return to the lineup shortly … Predators forward Scott Hartnell left the game in the first period with an apparent injury and did not return. No update was provided after the game. … The Predators reassigned center Frederic Gaudreau and forward PontusAberg to Milwaukee on Saturday. Aberg is on a conditioning assignment. … Defenseman Kris Letang played his 622nd game for the Penguins, moving into second place among franchise blueliners behind Brooks Orpik (703). … Dating to the Stanley Cup Final, the Penguins shut the Predators out for 228:27 before Nashville snapped that streak early in the second period.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Buffalo on Tuesday night.
Predators: Host former Nashville coach Barry Trotz and the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
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