Smashville, TN – After a build-up of nearly five months, the much-anticipated outdoor game in another non-traditional market featuring two non-traditional teams ended in exciting fashion with the defending two-time Stanley Cup Champions defeating the host Nashville Predators 3-2.
The day began overcast and cold, exactly what the NHL wanted for its 34th edition of the popular regular season outdoor tilt. Throughout Winter Park across from Bridgestone Arena and along Broadway, there was a vibrant tone among those roaming the streets, a robust pulse throughout downtown Nashville. It was game day; it was outdoor hockey day.
The Lightning were the 27th team to participate in an NHL outdoor game as the Predators stepped on outdoor ice for the second time, their previous appearance being in the 2020 Winter Classic when they suffered a loss to the Dallas Stars at the Cotton Bowl.
With a predominant Nashville edge, but plenty of Tampa Bay presence, fans were treated to a spirited performance by both clubs.
It started with a classic entrance, known as the “walk-up” with Tampa Bay sporting the Canadian tuxedos while Nashville donned special creations by noted local designer Travis Austin.
A crowd of 68,619, the 7th largest attendance in NHL outdoor history and 3rd among Stadium Series games, were treated to an experience under perfect conditions with the temperature at puck drop 40 degrees with no trace of breeze or moisture in the air.
With little action at either end to start the game, Tampa Bay had a chance to take an early lead when Ryan Johansen was sent for illegal hit to the head of Erik Cernak just 1:19 into the game. Johansen was originally assessed a major penalty, but it was overturned upon review and reduced to a minor penalty.
Cernak retreated to the dressing room for concussion protocol while his teammates went on the power play. Nashville dodged a bullet when Tampa Bay failed to register a shot on goal during that next two minutes. Cernak would return shortly thereafter.
Just less than five minutes later, Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph was sent off for high-sticking Nashville’s Roman Josi, giving the Predators their first chance at the man-advantage. Just before the penalty expired, Nashville netted the game’s first goal.
While keeping the play in the Lightning zone, Dante Fabbro sent a drive from the right point which Tampa Bay netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped, but Tanner Jeannot tapped in the rebound into the open left side to net his 18th of the season and give the home team the early lead.
Ninety-five seconds later with play in the Tampa Bay zone, Lightning forward Pat Maroon tussled with Nashville’s Michael McCarron, in a likely effort to get his teammates charged up. After a lengthy bout and with the swinging subsiding, Maroon fired a late shot which McCarron took exception to, a likely prelude to a second bout before the night was complete.
Toward the end of the period, Nashville began to throw their weight around a little, creating space and generating several key chances on the Lightning net. None were able to penetrate Vasilevskiy, yet it was the best flurry after Jeannot’s goal.
With just 11 seconds remaining n the opening frame, Nashville’s Matt Benning was whistled for interference on Tampa Bay’s Alex Killorn, sending the Lightning to their second power play which would roll over into the middle period.
The first period ended with Tampa Bay leading 12-11 in shots.
The second period began with a bang. The Lightning struck just 58 seconds in, capitalizing on an effective power play that would eventually go 2 for 4 on the night. Steven Stamkos kept the puck inside the zone before sending a pass to Nikita Kucherov on the right side. Kucherov opted to pass and found Brayden Point established in the slot. Alone and awaiting the puck, Point accepted that pass and sent a snapshot over the right shoulder of Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros’ knotting the game up 1-1 with his 20th marker of the season.
With play becoming more physical the deeper the game went, more fisticuffs came, this time 5:06 into the period and right off the draw. This scrap was between two new combatants, Nashville’s Ryan Johanesen and Tampa Bay’s Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Both were sent off with fighting majors. Just nine seconds later, Nashville’s Tyler Jeannot joined Johansen in the penalty box after high-sticking Tampa Bay’s Jan Rutta and the Lightning were back on the power play.
It took just over a minute for Tampa Bay to take the lead, this on a snipe by Nikita Kucherov. Play advanced down the left side where captain Steven Stamkos floated into the zone. He put on the brakes and sent a pass back to the left point to a waiting Victor Hedman. The defenseman found the Russian weapon parked on the right side, where he had time to send a nifty drive over Saros’ left shoulder to give the Lightning their first lead of the game. It was Kucherov’s 9th of the season in just his 16th game.
Less than minute later, a scrap ensued after a whistle in the Tampa Bay end resulting in a penalty to Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh for roughing Michael McCarron. This gave Nashville a chance to tie the score.
Both teams trade chances with neither changing tallies on the scoreboard.
With less than 1:25 left, Nashville’s Philippe Myers was sent off for tripping a feisty Corey Perry, giving Tampa Bay a chance to extend their lead before the second period expired. The Lightning would come close as the buzzer sounded as Saros stymied Alex Killorn.
Tampa dominated the period in shots 12-5, extended their edge in that department after two periods to 25-16 while holding the all-important advantage in score leading 2-1. They would begin the third period with 35 seconds remaining on the power play.
The final frame began with back and forth play and no real edge by either team. That nearly changed when Tampa Bay’s Bellmare interfered with Nashville’s Matthias Ekholm with 6:57 into the period, but the Predators could not convert.
In fact, Nashville nearly let Tampa Bay extend their lead when Mathieu Joseph broke in on Saros all alone, but fired high. The Lightning had better luck with just more than eight minutes remaining.
Cal Foote corralled the puck near the blue line before dropping it back to Killorn just behind him. He found Stamkos waiting on the opposite side of the net with his patented one-timer locked and loaded, needing nothing more than the perfect pass. Once it arrived, the Lightning had a two-goal lead on Stamkos’ 25th of the season. It gave the defending champs a little breathing room, but Nashville had other ideas.
As Nashville continued to pressure the Tampa Bay defense by spreading the play across the wings, Johansen snuck behind Hedman who hooked the dangerous center on the arm drawing a hooking penalty. It gave the Predators hope and they took advantage of it.
Just seven seconds into the power play, Johansen kept the puck in on the right side, sent a puck to Mikael Granlund toward the net near the right post. He controlled it, slid a pass to an uncovered Filip Forsberg left of him and the center netted his 27th of the season to tighten the score at 3-2.
Nashville pulled Saros with 1:52 remaining, pressing for the equalizer. After getting the puck in deep to the Lightning zone and a shot which Vasilevskiy caught, the Predators called their timeout.
With 34 seconds left, Vasilevskiy stopped Jeannot in close and smothered the puck for a face-off. It was as close as Nashville would get to tie before Tampa Bay would travel back to the sunshine state with two points, leaving the Smashville crowd less than whole.
Dennis Morrell has enjoyed many years of experience in the great game as a hockey writer, photographer, goalie coach, player and currently active USA Hockey-certified referee with over 1,500 games donning the striped jersey. His passion for the game began in the early 70s with his first glance at skaters in Clayton’s Shaw Park. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.
Don Haas is a veteran hockey photographer with numerous NHL outdoor, All-Star and Stanley Cup Final games in his history and decades of covering college hockey in the Northeast.
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