In Prague, the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks opened the NHL’s 2022-23 season in the Global Series. Hometown hero, Tomas Hertl, scored for the Sharks in the opening frame to tie the score, 1-1.
“I thought all the new guys to our team obviously contributed,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “A lot of them contributed on the scoreboard, but I thought also just the style of game they played really fits the identity, so it’s nice. It’s nice for those guys to get off to a good start.”
Nashville tacked on two markers in the middle frame from Eeli Tolvanen and Nino Niederreiter for a 3-1 lead headed to the third period.
“It was a pretty special moment, obviously,” Sharks coach David Quinn said.. “He’s been thinking about that for a long time. Obviously happy for him, and the team, I thought, got a little bit inspired by that. I thought they played better after that. Unfortunately, we only got one.”
The Predators took a 1-0 lead in the first period off a goal from Kiefer Sherwood .
Juuse Saros made 30 saves in the Nashville win.
“He’s that kind of goalie, and he’s always our best penalty killer,” Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “On most nights, he’s our best player. Usually that happens when we win. He’s just standing in there for us, and he did tonight. Super excited for him. He’s a heck of a goalie, and he makes it a lot easier for us defensemen coming back there.”
Matt Duchene picked up his fist of the season for the Preds with a late empty net goal for the 4-1 final.
“For the most part, I thought, up until they made it 3-1, we were hanging around,” Quinn said. “I liked some of the things we were doing. But once they made it 3-1, I really thought there was a huge disparity in the way they played compared to the way we played.
“I thought the last 25 minutes, they really took it to us, and I thought we got a little bit demoralized. We’ve got to toughen up a little bit mentally in that department.”
The two teams mix it up again, Saturday, in Prague.
“I think we’ve got to put this one behind us,” Hynes said. “Tomorrow’s a new game. Tonight doesn’t have an impact really on tomorrow. We have to make sure that we get rest. We’ve got to get our mindset right and approach tomorrow [focused on] some of the things we can do better.
“We found a way to win the game, but we weren’t perfect in the game, either. You’re not trying to chase the perfect game, but I think our objective, very similar to what we talked to the players about all training camp, [is] ‘How can we be better tomorrow?’ And that’s what our objective is going to be.”
James Reimer made 28 saves in the San Jose loss.
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