The Vegas Golden Knights have once again demonstrated their dominance on the ice by securing a 3-1 victory against the Nashville Predators, rounding off an impressive winning streak of six games. The win also marked the successful end to their formidable road trip. While the Predators managed to notch the first goal in the second period, the lead was quickly contested and overturned when Jack Eichel slammed in his 99th goal as a Golden Knight, with Shea Theodore and Mark Stone providing the assists, as per a KTNV report.
In a narrative that could well be scripted for a Hollywood sports flick, the Golden Knights’ march to the win was further dramatized by Reilly Smith, back on the team after a trade from the New York Rangers, finally ending his assist-only streak by stuffing in a power-play go-ahead goal, as detailed by a NHL.com article, his first since rejoining the team that he helped carry to Stanley Cup glory back in 2023. After the goal, Smith, in an interview obtained by NHL.com, expressed his relief, “It’s definitely nice to be able to help the team win and a little bit of a relief just to see it go in."
Brett Howden sealed the win with an empty-net goal, making it 3-1 with 45 seconds left. The Golden Knights, on a six-game winning streak and with 96 points, will next face Edmonton at T-Mobile Arena.
Despite the loss, the Predators showed strong effort. Coach Andrew Brunette praised the team’s performance, saying, "I thought we handled ourselves really well," though he acknowledged their difficulty in creating scoring chances. The game also saw injury concerns, with forward Colton Sissons leaving due to a lower-body injury. Brunette noted, "He’s such a popular teammate and he’s kind of a heart-and-soul guy for our group," and the team is hopeful for his quick recovery. Meanwhile, Vegas' Adin Hill stepped in as goalie, making 23 saves after Ilya Samsonov’s injury during warmups. Coach Bruce Cassidy explained, "Something tightened up, so that was that," as per NHL.com article,
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