Vincent Trocheck, Sebastian Aho and Nino Niederreiter scored third-period goals as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated host Nashville 4-2 on Monday, handing the Predators their first loss in three games this season.
The Hurricanes scored two key short-handed goals to prevent momentum from turning against them.
Goalie James Reimer made his first appearance of the season for the Hurricanes, stopping 31 shots.
Aho, Trockeck and Andrei Svechnikov each provided a goal and two assists for Carolina. Svechnikov has three goals across the team’s first three games.
Niederreiter scored an empty-net goal with 36 seconds remaining, his first tally of the season.
Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson scored for the Predators, who have dropped eight their past nine meetings with Carolina, going 1-6-2. Arvidsson also had an assist.
Goalie Pekka Rinne made 20 stops for Nashville.
Trocheck’s unassisted short-handed goal came 3:46 into the third period to break a 1-1 tie. Seven minutes later, Svechnikov set up Aho’s short-handed goal with a pass after Jake Gardiner did splendid work to secure the puck, giving Carolina a two-goal edge.
Nashville quickly countered, closing within 3-2 at 13:26 when Ryan Johansen delivered the puck so that Arvidsson could score on the power play.
Reimer was sharp most of the night, beginning by stopping all 12 shots he faced during a scoreless first period.
Of the Hurricanes’ 24 shots on net in the game, 10 came in the third period.
Center Morgan Geekie stayed in Carolina’s lineup with captain Jordan Staal remaining on the COVID-19 protocol list.
This was the front end of meetings between the teams on consecutive nights, with the Hurricanes closing their four-game, season-opening road trip Tuesday night. Carolina plays its home opener Thursday against the Florida Panthers.
Nashville opened the season with a pair of home-ice victories against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
–Field Level Media
