Scott Wedgewood had a tough time in net on Thursday against the Dallas Stars, and the Nashville Predators' new lineup could not make up the deficit.
Wedgewood allowed four goals on seven shots in the second period, and the Stars won 4-3 on opening night despite a strong third-period push by the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
The 32-year-old No. 2 goaltender made the start on Thursday as Juuse Saros sat out with a lower-body injury suffered last weekend.
After a scoreless first period, Dallas scored twice in 19 seconds early in the second period on separate breakaways-turned-odd-man rushes. Roope Hintz scored off of a Logan Stankoven breakaway at 2:05, and Jason Robertson scored off of a Hintz breakaway at 2:24.
Filip Forsberg got the Predators on the board with a power play goal at 3:30 off of a nice feed from Jonathan Marchessault, but Mason Marchment countered with a Stars power-play goal at 8:03.
Marchment finished the period with another goal, this one on even-strength just above Wedgewood's pad at 18:15 of the second to push the Dallas lead to 4-1.
The fourth goal is the one Wedgewood will likely want back the most, though the overall numbers did not look good. Wedgewood finished with 15 saves on 19 shots on Thursday.
Tommy Novak buried a breakaway chance past Dallas' Jake Oettinger early in the third period to cut Dallas' lead to 4-2. Ryan O'Reilly scored with the net empty at 18:25 of the third period to cut the Predators' deficit to 4-3. But O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos both drew iron on shots in the final minute, and Nashville could not get the game-tying goal.
Nashville's top power play will be a focus all season, and it looked dangerous throughout the game including on Forsbeg's goal. The Preds' PP1 on Thursday included O'Reilly in front of the net with Forsberg, Stamkos, Marchessault and Roman Josi.
Recap the opening night game below:
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Tommy Novak fishes a puck along the wall in neutral ice to Luke Evangelista, who backhands it to Novak's direction toward the offensive zone. Novak gets the puck all alone and beats Oettinger to cut Dallas' lead to 4-2.
Mason Marchment beats Scott Wedgewood to Wedgewood's left on a simple wrister to extend Dallas' lead to 4-1.
That's a tough goal to allow just before the end of the period.
Matt Duchene finds Mason Marchment (maybe intended for Logan Stankoven?) on the power play in front of net, and Marchment beats Scott Wedgewood just under the bar.
Stankoven is credited with an assist, his third of the period.
Dallas' Sam Steel is whistled for a high-sticking penalty, and the Predators' top power play went to work. A nice feed from Jonathan Marchessault finds Filip Forsberg in the middle, who beats Jake Oettinger for Nashville's first goal of the season. Roman Josi also gets an assist.
A fast start to the second period.
Roope Hintz readjusts on a 1-on-1 opportunity very quickly off the center ice draw, turning and finding Jason Robertson who buries the puck past Scott Wedgewood. Two goals in 19 seconds for Dallas.
Dallas' Logan Stankoven had a possible breakaway attempt foiled by a tricky puck, but he was able to skate around the Predators net and find Roope Hintz in the slot for a wide open shot to beat Scott Wedgewood. That was not very good by Filip Forsberg on the turnover to allow Stankoven to get free.
Nashville had the upper hand early but took three penalties in the final 12:30 of the period and will have to kill off 24 seconds of a Jonathan Marchessault high-stick penalty to start the second period.
Dallas' Jake Oettinger has stopped all eight Nashville shots, while Scott Wedgewood has four saves on four shots.
The Predators did get a chance to show off what could be the most dynamic and prolific PP1 the team has ever iced on paper, with Ryan O'Reilly (net front), Marchessault (in the middle), Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos and Roman Josi. But no scoring yet through 20 minutes.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, QB Diego Pavia and DB CJ Taylor are shown on the Bridgestone Arena scoreboard and get a nice applause after highlights of the upset win against Alabama are shown.
The Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars game will be televised exclusively by ESPN+ , which is ESPN's subscription-based streaming service, nationally with streaming also available on Hulu.
Odds according to BetMGM on Thursday, Oct. 10
- PUCK LINE: Stars -1.5 at +200, Predators +1.5 at -250
- O/U: 6.5 goals
- MONEY LINE: Stars -125, Predators +105
Tickets for Thursday's game on StubHub are priced from $54 before fees.
All times central; Games on Bally Sports South unless otherwise noted
October
- Oct. 10: Dallas Stars, 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and Hulu (sign up here)
- Oct. 12: at Detroit Red Wings, 6 p.m.
- Oct. 15: Seattle Kraken, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 17: Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 19: Detroit Red Wings, 1 p.m.
- Oct. 22: Boston Bruins, 7:45 p.m.
- Oct. 25: at Chicago Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+ and Hulu (sign up here)
- Oct. 26: Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 28: at Tampa Bay Lightning, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+ and Hulu (sign up here)
- Oct. 31: Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and Hulu (sign up here)
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators allow 4 goals in second period, lose to Dallas Stars in season opener without Juuse Saros
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