Predators blank Bruins for 1st victory of season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Juuse Saros made 33 saves and the Nashville Predators ended their season-opening five-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist each while Tommy Novak and Gustav Nyquist also scored for the Predators, who entered the game as the only team in the NHL without a point.

The shutout was the 25th of Saros’ career.

Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves for Boston.

O’Reilly scored the game’s first goal with 2:44 remaining in the opening period. With the Predators on a power play, Roman Josi fired a slap shot from above the right faceoff circle and O’Reilly tipped it past Swayman on the short side.

Takeaways

Bruins: Following three offseason surgeries, Boston captain Brad Marchand has yet to score a goal this season in seven games.

Predators: After an offseason marked by several high-profile free agent signings meant to bolster a team that hasn’t advanced out of the first round of the playoffs since 2018, Nashville’s revamped roster had not developed any early-season chemistry as evidenced by their 0-5 start.

Key moment

Just two seconds after a double minor high-sticking penalty to Boston’s Charlie McAvoy expired and Nashville clinging to a 1-0 lead, Novak buried a chance from just outside the crease off of an Evangelista pass to make the game 2-0 before McAvoy could exit the penalty box and rejoin the play.

Key stat

In his only two previous starts in Nashville, Swayman posted shutouts, stopping all 70 combined shots he’d faced in those games. O’Reilly’s late first-period goal ended Swayman’s Bridgestone Arena shutout streak at 136:34.

Up next

The Bruins host the Dallas Stars on Thursday night to start a three-game homestand. The Predators travel to Chicago on Friday to face the Blackhawks.

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