Chances Aplenty, but Preds Fall to Coyotes as Road Trip Concludes

A whopping 46 shots on net just aren't supposed to equal only one goal.
Yet that's where the Nashville Predators found themselves after managing to solve Coyotes' netminder Darcy Kuemper just a single time during a 2-1 loss in Arizona on Thursday night at Gila River Arena. The defeat is Nashville's third consecutive and their second straight in regulation to conclude their five-game trip at 2-2-1.
In the previous two games on the excursion - a shootout loss in Anaheim, followed by a 5-4 defeat in San Jose - the Predators said they didn't deserve to win. Thursday was a different story, but sometimes, that's just the way it goes in the NHL.

"It was a good effort," Preds Captain Roman Josi said. "We played hard, we had a lot of shots, a lot of chances, but their goalie played really well and they're a good team… I thought we played really hard, and it just didn't go our way tonight."
The game stands as a second consecutive example of what could have been for the Predators. After beginning their five-game road trip with 2-0-1 record and a 8-0-1 combined mark away from home, Nashville has now dropped two straight in regulation - and in Thursday's game, they couldn't get their myriad of chances to convert.
"It's not a night where you can look and say we didn't get to the goalie," Preds center Nick Bonino said. "We had a good net-front power play, a lot of 5-on-5 chances, especially the last half of the game… Sometimes that happens. We liked the attempts we put forth, we just have to finish."
Michael Grabner gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes with a shorthanded tally, and then Jason Demers doubled the score when he beat Pekka Rinne early in the second stanza.
But in the third period, on their 39th shot of the game, the Preds broke through as Bonino potted his first of the season to give Nashville life with less than eight minutes to play in regulation.

If there's an easy positive to select from Thursday's loss, it's Bonino's first of the year. The 30-year-old forward has vocally expressed his frustration at 18 games without a goal, but after finding twine against the Yotes, hopefully, he can serve as one of the offensive fill-ins as the club is without top forward Viktor Arvidsson for the next several weeks.
"He was really strong tonight," Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said of Bonino. "He's got some good games on this road trip, and he's working really hard… He's played really well, doing the right things, so it was nice to see him get on the board. Maybe that gets him going."
From here, the Preds will look to turn things around when the host the Kings on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena, a chance to build off of an effort that saw their power play create more than it has in recent memory.
Combine that with the effort through three periods, and the Predators feel it won't be long before they're back in the win column once more.
"Tonight, we played a lot better and had a lot more chances," Josi said. "It was just one of those nights and it happens throughout the season. We just have to keep doing the same things the next game, and hopefully it'll go in."

Notes:
Prior to Thursday's game, the Predators announced forward Viktor Arvidsson would miss the next six to eight weeks with a broken thumb. In addition, the team also placed defenseman P.K. Subban on Injured Reserve and activated defenseman Dan Hamhuis from IR.
Forward Austin Watson returned to the Nashville lineup after serving an 18-game suspension to start the season. Watson recorded an assist and led the team with five hits in 11:41 of time on ice.
Forward Calle Jarnkrok also returned for the Preds after missing three games with a lower-body injury.
Nashville now returns home to host a three-game set, beginning on Saturday night when the Los Angeles Kings come to Bridgestone Arena.