Tuesday’s win was a team effort, one which began with offense from further down the lineup. The night was highlighted by a first NHL goal for rookie defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous that wound up being the game-winner.
“The last week has been pretty nice for me since I’ve been here,” a smiling D’Astous said postgame. “I’m just trying to help the team to win, and I know I have good poise defensively, I can bring some offense, and it’s nice to be rewarded.”
Forward Zemgus Girgensons scored his first goal of the season in his third game since returning from injury. Girgensons made it 1-0 just past the midway point of the first period on a shot in the crease after linemate Pontus Holmberg circled the net and slipped him a one-handed pass from below the goal line.
“Anytime you’re out, you’re missing it,” Girgensons said of contributing after missing time. “You want to be there with the boys. Whether it’s losing or winning, you want to be out there and helping. It’s just been nice that we got back and we’ve been winning, so it’s been a little bit nicer.”
A strong shift by rookie forward Dominic James helped Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli keep their run of strong play going. Hagel scored mere seconds after a Lightning power play concluded to double the visitors’ lead with 4:23 left in the second period.
A strong shift by James in the offensive zone led to numerous chances at the Predators net. Cirelli’s shot hit the goalpost, but Hagel batted the loose puck into the cage to make it 2-0.
Cirelli’s assist marked his 300th career point and tied Lightning Hall of Fame member Brian Bradley for 12th all-time in franchise scoring, a mark he took sole possession of later in the game with another helper.
Cirelli said the team utilized tough practices and a revamped focus to get back to winning.
“A couple hard practices there and really worked on what we needed to get better at and translating it into the games, so I thought the last three games we did some good things,” Cirelli said. “Just keeping to our gameplan and good things will happen, so it’s nice to get the three wins.”
The Predators halved their deficit 5:05 into the final frame on a rebound goal late in a power play, but a newcomer to the Lightning restored the visitors’ two-goal lead shortly after.
With Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov rushing into the Predators’ zone, D’Astous followed the play to create a 3-on-1 chance. Point dropped the puck to the 27-year-old, who blistered a shot under the blocker of Nashville goalie Juuse Saros and into the net for a 3-1 lead with 12:02 remaining in the game.
The score marked D’Astous’ first NHL point and goal in his third game with Tampa Bay, and he said he has felt some progression already.
“If you look game one through game three, I’ve only played three games but I think every game just got better. I feel like I deserve to be here and I can easily play with everyone in this league,” D’Astous said. “So yeah, I’m just getting better and better every night, so I think it’s just getting easier for me.”
Nashville cut the lead to 3-2 with Filip Forsberg’s goal at 6-on-5 late, but Kucherov added an empty-net goal in the final minute before Girgensons scored his second goal of the night with 30 seconds remaining. Girgensons has now matched his goal total from last season.
