Finally back in Smashville after a long road-trip, the Nashville Predators hoped to get back to their winning ways against the Los Angeles Kings. Down P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson due to injury, the Predators got help in a big way from Calle Jarnkrok, who recently returned from an injury of his own. The Kings weren’t without their own issues. Struggling in the early goings of the year and now on to their 4th goaltender in young Cal Petersen.
The first period began with the Predators attacking hard on the forecheck, trying to force turnovers in front of Petersen and get him in high-pressure, high-anxiety situations early on.