Josi scores four points for Predators in win against Coyotes

NASHVILLE-- Roman Josi scored two goals with two assists for the Nashville Predators in a 4-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Matt Duchene extended his goal streak to three games, and Juuse Saros made 22 saves for the Predators (9-5-1), who have won four of five and eight of 10.
"I really liked the effort, the way we prepared for the game," Predators coach John Hynes said. "I think mentally and physically we were ready to play. Coming off a six-game road trip and then home for one (game), sometimes you are a little bit leery of the guys coming in, and 'Are we going to be really checked in to be able to play?' I thought we were tonight."

The Coyotes (1-13-1) have not won in 10 road games this season. Arizona forward Phil Kessel played in his 915th consecutive game, passing Garry Unger for third in NHL history.
Duchene gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 11:14 of the first period. The goal was his fourth in three games and he leads the Predators with nine. He scored six in 34 games last season, and his 16 points are three more than he had then.
"It's good," Hynes said of Duchene's production. "It's nice to see. He's made some adjustments to his competitiveness, his work ethic, and I think he's putting himself in good situations to be able to score, and obviously he's had some that have gone in the net. It's nice to see him be able to produce at the rate he's producing."

Josi scored on the power play at 18:12 of the first period to give the Predators a 2-0 lead. Mikael Granlund made it 3-0 at 7:02 of the second period.
Josi scored his second goal at 5:54 of the third period to make it 4-0. Karel Vejmelka saved Josi's breakaway, but the defenseman banked the rebound in off the goalie. It was Josi's second four-point game of the season (one goal, three assists at the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 24). He has six goals and 10 assists in 15 games after he scored eight goals in 48 games last season.
"I feel good this year," Josi said. "I think it's been going well. Obviously it's always hard to compare years to years, but I definitely feel good. I think last year I wasn't too happy with my year. I knew I had kind of another level."
Jakob Chychrun ended Saros' shutout with a power-play goal at 13:30 of the third period to make the score 4-1. It was his first goal after he led NHL defensemen last season with 18.
"I think they came out with a lot more urgency than we did, which is unacceptable when we're a team that's got one win," Chychrun said. "I don't know why we aren't coming out with more urgency. It's frustrating."
NOTES: Coyotes forward Dmitrij Jaskin left the game with a lower-body injury at 12:30 of the first period after being kneed by Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki. "It's long term," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said of Jaskin's injury. "It's lower-body, but it will be really long term." ... Kessel trails the active streak of 935 of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle, and the record of 964 held by Doug Jarvis. ... Three Predators have scored more that Duchene's 16 points in the first 15 games of any season: Steve Sullivan twice (20 points; six goals, 14 assists in 2006-07, and 17 points; eight goals, nine assists in 2005-06), Filip Forsberg (17 points; seven goals, 10 assists in 2014-15) and J-P Dumont (17 points; two goals, 15 assists in 2008-09). ... Arizona made four changes to the lineup it used Friday in a 2-1 loss at the Chicago Blackhawks, including Vejmelka replacing Scott Wedgewood. Jaskin replaced Andrew Ladd, who was placed in COVID-19 protocol. Forward Liam O'Brien filled the spot of Christian Fischer, who missed the game with an upper-body injury, and defenseman Cam Dineen replaced Kyle Capobianco, who played his first game of the season Friday.