Predators defeat Rangers, spoil Quinn coaching debut

NEW YORK -- Colton Sissons had a goal and an assist to help the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

P.K. Subban and Filip Forsberg scored, Mattias Ekholm had two assists and Pekka Rinne made 34 saves for the Predators, the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners after setting team records for victories (53) and points (117), to spoil the NHL debut of Rangers coach David Quinn.
"I didn't think we really played to the level that we're looking for," Quinn said. "Obviously we are up against a team that's one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, so it was certainly a great test. I just thought we were hesitant, I didn't think we hounded the puck like we did in the preseason. It's probably the most odd-man rushes we gave up in any game we've played. We've just got to be harder on the puck, we've got to do a better job of playing in your face hockey"
WATCH: [All Predators vs. Rangers highlights]
Jesper Fast and Pavel Buchnevich scored for the Rangers, and Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves in his 13th consecutive season-opening start.
"It was a hard-fought game," Forsberg said. "It was a kind of typical first game of the season, both teams trying to work hard and play simple hockey. I think we did that pretty good for 60 minutes, nice to get the two points."
Subban broke a 1-1 tie at 3:28 of the third period after Sissons won a face-off against Rangers rookie Brett Howden. Ekholm retrieved the puck at the point and found Subban, whose slap shot went over Lundqvist's left shoulder.

"The one thing [Predators coach Peter Laviolette] tells me before every season is you've got one of the best shots, just get it through like you always do," Subban said. "We got guys who are just tenacious around the net, so it's really easy for me. It doesn't have to be the big one-timer sometimes. I like that because then I feel comfortable just getting it to the net. When you do, good things happen.
"I had a lane. I don't know if it hit anything. I just choked down on the stick and tried to put it in a place where maybe if [Lundqvist] were screened he wouldn't see it. I just tried to get it up a little bit higher than I was shooting the rest of the game and I was lucky it went in."

Sissons made it 3-1 with an empty-net goal at 18:36 of the third before Buchnevich cut the lead to 3-2 at 19:25.
Forsberg gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 3:54 of the second period. Ekholm moved the puck off the glass to begin a 2-on-2 rush and Forsberg took a pass from Kyle Turris at the point and beat Lundqvist high.
Fast tied it 1-1 at 7:37 with a wrist shot after a pretty backhand pass from Filip Chytil.

They said it

"Obviously anytime you start the season you always feel the butterflies and you're a little nervous before the game. You obviously wish you get off to a good start. It was a good game for us. It was a good first game." -- Predators goalie Pekka Rinne
"We've got to be in your face. We have to be hard on pucks. We have to be interrupting their play, quick on pucks and in their faces. We need to be a hard team to play against, using our speed and having a good defensive zone. I think they have good players and they are going to get chances, but I think we played a solid game and we have to take the positives from this game. It's a quick turnaround. We have two important games coming up now." -- Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello

Need to know

Subban has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 22 games, and Forsberg seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games against the Rangers. … The Predators activated forward Ryan Hartman (shoulder) off injured reserve before the game. … Lundqvist became the ninth player to appear in at least one regular-season game in 14 different seasons with the Rangers, joining Rod Gilbert (18), Brian Leetch (17), Harry Howell (17), Ron Greschner (16), Jean Ratelle (16), Ott Heller (15), Walt Tkaczuk (14) and Mike Richter (14). … Howden won six of eight face-offs (75 percent) in his NHL debut. … Fast has 99 points in 288 NHL games, all with New York. He has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his past 13 games dating to last season.

What's next

Predators:At the New York Islanders on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Rangers: At the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG, NHL.TV)