Hartman scores twice, Predators defeat Golden Knights

NASHVILLE -- Ryan Hartman scored two goals, and Juuse Saros made 23 saves for the Nashville Predators in a 4-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

The Predators (9-3-0), who have not lost consecutive games this season, lead the NHL with 18 points.
"We've kind of been talking about our starts at home and our overall games at home," Hartman said. "We weren't really happy with ourselves after one, and that was pretty obvious in the locker room after that first period. I think after the first few shifts we kind of started picking things up and getting chances, moving our feet a little bit more. We created offense. We did a pretty good job in the second period, and that carried into the third period."
WATCH: [All Golden Knights vs. Predators highlights]
Reilly Smith scored, and Malcolm Subban made 25 saves for the Golden Knights (5-6-1), who have scored two goals or fewer in nine of 12 games.
"We made some bad choices on pinches that cost us a couple goals tonight and gave them a lot of odd-man rushes," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. "That's not what we usually do, and it cost us tonight."

Smith gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 17:14 of the first period on the power play on a shot from the left face-off circle. He took a pass from Jonathan Marchessault and beat Saros.
Hartman tied the game 1-1 at 11:27 of the second period. He received a pass from Kevin Fiala and skated past Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller to score.
"It felt great," Hartman said. "It's been a while, so it's nice to get on the score sheet there."

Hartman scored his second of the night 57 seconds later on a one-timer to make it 2-1 at 12:24. Fiala led a 3-on-1 and passed to Hartman for his third goal of the season.
"Today, I was just thinking about playing the right way," Fiala said. "Yeah, I mean just a simple game. Don't think about too much, scoring goals or whatever. We got chances today, you know? If you stop thinking, sometimes it works. And today, obviously it did."
Calle Jarnkrok increased the lead to 3-1 at 6:37 of the third period on a 2-on-1 with Kyle Turris.
"I think we're experienced enough now through last year and the tight, one-goal games we've had this year that we know how we have to play," Turris said. "You can't let up offensively, but at the same time you have to be smart and make good decisions to play strong defensively."
Viktor Arvidsson was awarded an empty-net goal at 17:42 to make it 4-1 after he was taken down by Golden Knights defenseman Nick Holden while trying to score. It was Arvidsson's eighth goal.

They said it

"Well, you can't play like that. I mean, we played a great first period against them. We did exactly what we were supposed to do, and then we forced the issue too much and we made some bad choices pinching. It cost us some goals because they've got some talent." -- Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant
"Even in the second we tightened it down a little bit. They're just fast. We've got to expect everybody's best game right from the beginning when they come into our building, and Vegas is one of the better teams. I think their win-loss record is a little bit deceiving. I think that they're a better hockey team than that, and they show it a lot of nights by the way they put pucks at the net, the way they control hockey games. They just haven't gotten the results that they're looking for. But they're a tough team to play against." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette on limiting the Golden Knights to four shots on goal in the third period

Need to know

Marchessault has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past six games. … Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne missed his fifth game with an undisclosed injury but could return this week.

What's next

Golden Knights: At the St. Louis Blues on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV)
Predators:At the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SUN, FS-TN, NHL.TV)