Golden Knights score three straight, pull away to defeat Predators

NASHVILLE -- Brett Howden had a goal and an assist for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel, William Karlsson and Trevor Connelly also scored for the Golden Knights (6-2-0), who ended a four-game winning streak with a 4-2 loss at the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Rasmus Andersson had two assists, and Adin Hill  made 25 saves.

“We talk a lot about how much our depth means to our team, and how effective it is,” Howden said. “It goes to show that we can count on anyone on any given night.”

Ryan O'Reilly had a goal and an assist, and Adam Edstrom scored for the Predators (2-2-2), who have lost three of their past four (1-1-2). Juuse Saros made 20 saves.

O’Reilly put Nashville up 1-0 at 3:55 of the first period. Filip Forsberg put the puck on net from the left face-off circle, and the rebound went right to O'Reilly in front, where he backhanded it into an open net.

Hertel answered to tie it 1-1 at 6:46 with a wrist shot over Saros’ blocker from the left circle just after a Predators power play ended.

Eichel tipped in a cross-ice pass from Brayden McNabb as he drove the net at 12:48 to put the Golden Knights ahead 2-1.

Jack Drury had a chance to tie it at 13:09, but Hill stopped his wrist shot attempt on a penalty shot.

“I thought everybody, to a man, was ready to play, especially our goaltender,” Vegas coach Ryan Craig said. “I think the early penalty kills and the penalty-shot save allowed us to kind of get our legs under us, and then we had some timely scoring.”

Edstrom scored the first short-handed goal of his career at 8:45 of the second period to make it 2-2. After losing the puck on a breakaway, he regained possession of it off the end boards and maneuvered himself to slip a shot around an out-of-position Hill. 

“He’s been really good,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said of Edstrom. “He hounds pucks and gets on top of pucks with his size, reach and speed. He’s been creating stuff, and tonight was a perfect example of what he brings.”

Karlsson, after collecting his first goal of the season on Monday, roofed a wrist shot from the right circle into the left corner to help Vegas regain a 3-2 lead at 17:44.

“It’s good to see him score,” Craig said. “Two good shots. He had the breakaway (Monday) night too. He’s starting to shoot the puck, which we like to see.”

Connelly finished a cross-ice pass from Noah Hanifin to make it 4-2 at 4:49 of the third period, and Howden deflected a shot between his legs that went in off the left post for the 5-2 final at 6:24. 

“Sometimes, when you’re in those tight games, you tend to not want to give anything up,” Hanifin said. “I thought we did a good job of staying on our toes, getting after them, playing in the offensive zone and generating some good looks. It was a really good third period for us.”

NOTES: Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner extended his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists). ... Predators forward Steven Stamkos (three goals, four assists) and defenseman Roman Josi (one goal, five assists) both had point streaks end at five games.