Preds Find Positives in Effort, Not Result in Loss to Capitals

Michael McCarron scored Nashville's lone goal as the Predators fell to the Washington Capitals by a 4-1 final on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result extends Nashville's winless streak to three games in a contest that could have easily gone the home team's way.

"I liked our game, and I thought we had good energy," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said of his team. "Things we talked about is icing a game that we feel gives us the best chance to win night in and night out, and then play consistently. Lots of times, we talk about controlling what you can control, and I thought for the most part tonight we did that… We didn't get the end result that we wanted, but I think all the things that lead to a winning recipe night in and night out, and getting more of the identity we want to play with - I felt we were hard, we were committed, and we didn't get the end result tonight, but I think when you look at the areas that I addressed with you, I think more often than not you're going to win hockey games."
"I thought we deserved a better fate," Preds defenseman Mark Borowiecki said. "I thought we played a strong game. For a stretch in the second, I think we got a little too much into that sort of up and down style of game that's not really our strength. We got better getting pucks in their end and using our size and our physicality to our advantage, but I thought we did a lot of good things, [hitting] three posts, whatever it was - I think at this point it's just important to not get too down on ourselves and take the positives out of that game, take some of the negatives too and just try to grow."
Washington's Joe Snively gave the visitors a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest when he finished off an odd-man rush, and that score held into the early moments of the final frame before McCarron got a bounce in front to even the game at 1-1.

That was as close as Nashville came on Tuesday, however, as the Capitals quickly regained the lead with a strike from Nick Jensen, and then Alexander Ovechkin put his club up by two with a power-play goal. Ovechkin later put the game out of reach with an empty-netter as Nashville was unable to solve Washingint goaltender Ilya Samsonov just once on 34 shots.
"We had good looks off the rush and I thought our breakouts were good, too," Borowiecki said. "We're one of the better forechecking teams in the NHL, statistics wise, and so are they, so we knew it was going to be a forechecking game... And for the most part, I thought we did a good job. In that first period I think we carried possession... You know, [there were] definitely some positives."
Now, the Predators will look to take those positives into Carolina on Friday night against a Hurricanes team that continues to be one of the top clubs in the Eastern Conference - and a rivalry that formed between the two last season that ended in a playoff meeting.
Every team goes through stretches that don't deliver the desired results, but the Preds know they're capable of working their way out of the current skid - and that's the plan in the days ahead.
"Part of winning regularly in the League is there has to be a lot of consistency," Hynes said. "And when your game is consistent, it gives you the chance to win. Tonight, we had a pretty good winning recipe in a lot of those categories, but we didn't find a way to win the game. So, that's the challenge on Friday."
"We've had successes here because we really play as a group," Borowiecki said. "We have that group identity we all buy into - it doesn't matter how much skill you have or don't have - we all play a certain way out there and it gets us through tough times. So, I'm sure you guys are really sick of hearing us say identity and stuff like that, but I think that identity is kind of the foundation that gets good teams through tough times. And I like to think that we're a good team - I think we are a very good team - and I know we're going to come out of this."

Notes:

During Tuesday's game, the Predators announced defenseman Mark Borowiecki had signed a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2022-23 season. Stay tuned to NashvillePredators.com for more on Borowiecki's signing on Wednesday.
Predators forward Nick Cousins missed Tuesday's game and is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Forward Cole Smith, who was recalled Monday from Milwaukee, took his spot among the forward group. Defensemen Ben Harpur and Philippe Myers were scratched for Nashville.
With their two-game homestand complete, the Predators will now travel to Carolina to face the Hurricanes on Friday night, their first trip back to PNC Arena since last spring's playoff series.