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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Johansen’s first profession hat trick led the Nashville Predators to a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday evening.
Roman Josi and Philip Tomasino had a purpose and two assists, Matt Duchene had a purpose and an help and Juuse Saros made a season-high 47 saves for Nashville, winners of three of 4 as they attempt to hold tempo within the tight Western Convention playoff race. Filip Forsberg had three assists and Mattias Ekholm added two.
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“I believe Juice was on the degree that we’d like him to be at,” Predators coach John Hynes stated of Saraos. “He’s an elite goalie within the league. He was elite tonight. That’s good to see. When he performs at that degree, he offers us an opportunity to win each evening.”
Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov every had a purpose and an help for Minnesota. Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves. The Wild have been 9-0-1 in its earlier 10 video games.
Josi scored the sport’s first purpose at 5:10 of the opening interval. With the Predators on an influence play, he snapped a wrist shot from simply above the left faceoff dot that beat Fleury excessive to the far aspect.
Zuccarello made it 1-1 with about six and a half minutes left within the first, however Johansen answered 25 seconds later with one other power-play purpose for the Predators.
“We’ve to discover a approach simply to remain the hell out of the field as a result of clearly, they’ve obtained particular gamers and particular power-play gamers they usually harm us,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason stated. “Our 5-on-5 recreation is nice.”
Johansen struck once more with lower than a minute left, his second on the facility play, this time redirecting Josi’s slap move from the middle of the blue line previous Fleury.
“Yeah, superior to get it in a giant recreation, and at dwelling right here, too,” Johansen stated of his hat trick. “It was actually cool.”
Tomasino gave Nashville a 4-1 lead at 6:06 of the second.
Simply seconds after one other Wild energy play expired, Josi carried the puck into the best circle and he slipped a backhand move to Tomasino within the slot, the place the rookie beat Fleury with a one-timer low to the stick aspect.
Kaprizov scored his fortieth of the season at 17:51 of the second with the Wild on a two-man benefit.
Duchene scored at 13:28 of the third and Johansen scored his third into an empty web with 6.1 seconds remaining.
“We thrive on like exhausting, quick, aggressive hockey,” Duchene stated. “We thrive on it, significant hockey.”
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JOSI GOING WILD
It was the third matchup of the season between the Predators and Wild. Josi has posted 11 factors (4 targets, seven assists) in these three video games. Three of the 4 targets have come on the facility play.
Nashville has received all three matchups, outscoring the Wild 17-6.
DEFENSEMEN RETURN
Nashville welcomed again defensemen Dante Fabbro and Mark Borowiecki to the lineup. Each blueliners have been sidelined with upper-body accidents. Fabbro missed 5 video games and Borowiecki 4.
Borowiecki wasted no time in stepping into the motion, as he dropped the gloves with Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno early within the first interval in his first shift of the sport. Later within the first, he fought once more, taking over Nicolas Deslauriers. He additionally picked up an help on Duchene’s third interval purpose.
DUMBA HURT
Wild defenseman Matt Dumba was injured within the second interval and didn’t return. At 4:01 within the second, Dumba hit Nashville’s Michael McCarron within the impartial zone and obtained an interference penalty on the play. He left the ice and went on to the dressing room. The group introduced he had an upper-body harm.
“It’s upper-body,” Evason stated. “It doesn’t look good. That’s about it. I don’t know the standing. It simply doesn’t look good.”
UP NEXT
Predators: At Ottawa on Thursday.
Wild: At St. Louis on Friday to conclude a four-game journey.
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