Stamkos Fires Away as Predators Outlast Lightning 5-4
Nashville beat Tampa Bay 5-4 at home, and this was not a lucky escape. The Predators had the better of the play and simply needed extra time, beyond overtime, to make it count.
The Predators outshot the Lightning 33-26 and created the more dangerous looks. By expected goals, a measure of what each team's chances were worth, Nashville led 4.26 to 3.1. A tied score through regulation undersold them.
Steven Stamkos, skating with Ryan O'Reilly and Mavrik Bourque, carried the threat with six shots and a goal. Filip Forsberg and Nick Perbix each set up two.
It could have been decided sooner. Matthew Wood rang a post for Nashville, and Nikita Kucherov, who had three assists, hit iron for Tampa.
In goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy kept the Lightning close with 29 saves. At the other end, Justus Annunen made 22 saves on 26 shots and let in a little more than Tampa's chances deserved. On a night Nashville outplayed Tampa, he did not need to steal it.
