Preds Open Season with Victory in New York

That's one.
Three different Predators found the back of the net as Nashville defeated the New York Rangers by a 3-2 final on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. It's exactly the result the Preds were hoping for on night one of the 2018-19 regular season, in a contest that saw Colton Sissons' empty-net tally turn out to be the game-winner.
Goals from Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban helped them earn the win as well, and all things considered, it was a quality start to the new season.

"We did some good things, and there are things we can be better at," Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "I said coming in here, we'll see where we're at. I thought we were competitive. We turned the puck over a little bit too much. Some of it was decisions, some of it the puck was bouncing on a us a little bit too much. It seemed like when we turned it over they were quick to get offense going back the other way. [Pekka Rinne] made the saves when we needed it, and the guys did a good job of just staying with it."
After a scoreless opening period, Forsberg scored the first goal of the new season when he snapped a shot past Henrik Lundqvist to give the Preds a 1-0 lead at 3:54 of the middle frame. However, Jesper Fast tallied on one of 17 Rangers' shots in the second period to even the score after 40 minutes.
Less than four minutes into the third, it took all of about two seconds off of a faceoff for P.K. Subban to one-time his first of the season into the twine to give Nashville the lead once more, exactly what his head coach wants him to do.

"Lavi, the one thing that he tells me before every season is, 'You've got one of the best shots, just get it though like you always do and find a lane,'" Subban said. "We've got guys that are just tenacious around the net, so it's really easy for me."
The Rangers continued to press in the third, but it was Sissons who flung it into an empty cage with just over a minute to play. New York got one late, but it didn't matter as Rinne made one more of his 34 stops on the night before the final horn sounded - sealing the first of what the Preds hope will be plenty of celebratory finishes this season.
"It was a great win," Rinne said. "Anytime you start the season, you always feel the butterflies, and you're a little nervous before the game. You wish you get off to a good start, so it was a good game for us."

Scoresberg:
Is it too corny to write Filip Forsberg is on pace for 82 goals this season?
Probably, but if he keeps playing the way he did on night one, it might not be that far fetched.
Forsberg potted the first of what is likely to be a whole lot in the coming months, picking his spot on one of the best goaltenders in the world like it was nothing. He could have had at least another as well, and the otherworldly creativity was on display, too.
He's worth the price of admission, but that's nothing new for those on the Nashville bench.
"I don't know that we marvel anymore, we expect him to do it," Laviolette said with a grin when asked of Forsberg's ability. "He's a terrific player. He's a guy that if he gets a chance, he can make a difference in a game."
He certainly did on Opening Night, and even though the silky-smooth, highlight-reel plays have become commonplace, Forsberg's teammates still don't mind the show.
"In my opinion, when he's playing like that, he's the best player in the League," Subban said of Forsberg. "He has that ability. He can elevate to that level and very few guys can... At his age, it's just scary to think about the years to come, so it's a great first game for him. I know he's feeling confident after you get the first one, but we're going to need that from him game in and game out."

Notes:
Mattias Ekholm dished out two assists on the night, while Sissons, Kyle Turris, Ryan Ellis and Craig Smith each recorded one helper. Smith paced the club with six shots, followed by Subban and Forsberg with four apiece.
Ryan Hartman was activated off of Injured Reserve prior to Thursday's season opener and dressed for Nashville, poisting one shot and one hit in 15:13 of ice time. Zac Rinaldo was also in the lineup, participating in his first game with the Predators and was a +1 with two shots and two hits.
Nashville concludes their two-game trip to New York on Saturday night in Brooklyn when they face the Islanders at Barclays Center. The Preds then return home for a four-game stand at Bridgestone Arena, beginning on Tuesday night when the Calgary Flames come to town.
Limited tickets are available for the first homestand of the season -
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