Forsberg trick not enough Nashville’s in OT loss to Vegas

In Las Vegas, the Nashville Predators’ Filip Forsberg completed a hat trick with a pair of goals in the third period, including a power play strike with five seconds left in regulation, to force extra time with the Golden Knights. 

The Knights recovered enough to get the game-winner from Nicolas Hague with 2:04 gone ni the extra session.

“It was nice to end it like that,” Hague said. “I leaned into it. I feel like I lean into all of them. That one was just from a good spot to lay it right in there. … I just have to try to hit the net and we’ll see what happens. It ended up going in, which was pretty nice.”

Logan Thompson made 33 saves in the Vegas win.

“Win’s a win. You take these two points and put it in the standings, and we’re happier with two than one,” Vegas’ Mark Stone said. “I really thought when were down 2-0 we were playing really good hockey. We played for a majority of the game, we were the better team. … We beared down and got the win. That’s all that matters in this league is winning.”

The Knights improved to 25-12-2.

Forsberg opened the scoring to give the Preds an early 1-0 lead.

“I thought we got off to a good start early,” Forsberg said. “We got the early goal there from a good play by [Colton] Sissons and [Juuso] Parssinen,” Forsberg said. “I think our line was playing well, and then obviously the lines got shuffled around a little bit toward the end, but everybody was playing better in the third. And the last goal was obviously a good play on the blue line there by [Roman] Josi and [Matt] Duchene, and I just tried to hit the net.”

Nashville dropped to 15-14-6.

The Predators’ Jeremy Lauzon  pushed the lead to 2-0 just past the midway point of the first period.

“I felt like everybody was looking at [Mikael Granlund],” Lauzon said. “I got alone on the side. He just found me and even the goalie wasn’t even there. It was just an easy goal.”

Vegas then reeled off four straight goals to take a 4-2 lead in the third period.

Keegan Kolesar  got one back for the Golden Knights at 15:55 of the first for a 2-1 score headed to the middle frame.

In the second, Michael Amadio  tied it, 2-2, early in the frame.

“Mike scored a nice goal tonight. He could have had a few more,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He finds the open ice. He’s playing with some really good players. Let’s face it, we need it right now. Some of our guys are struggling to find the back of the net. We need some secondary guys to step up. He certainly fits that bill.”

At 8:53, Reilly Smith gave the Knights a 3-2 lead, and Chandler Stephenson  scored at 4:41 of the third for the 4-2 lead that evaporated later in the frame.

“I thought we worked and obviously made a push there in the third period and scored late. Those 6-on-5 situations are critical,” Nashville coach John Hynes said. “You go from basically no points to giving yourself a chance to get two in overtime. So I thought that the push we made in the third and staying with it was good.”

Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves in the Preds loss.