Predators get 4-1 win over over Dallas
NASHVILLE — Samuel Girard scored his first NHL goal and added an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban also had a goal and an assist each, and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for the Predators, who have won two straight. Pekka Rinne made 30 saves in his 500th career start.
Jamie Benn had Dallas’s lone goal. The Stars have lost three of four to open the season.
Benn scored the game’s first goal at 8:04 of the opening period. With Dallas on a power play, Rinne stopped John Klingberg’s shot from the left point, but Benn was able to swat in the rebound from just outside the crease on the right side.
Nashville has surrendered the first goal in three of its four games this season.
Girard evened the game at 1 at 3:27 of the second. From above the left faceoff circle, Subban slid a pass to the 19-year-old rookie at the right point, where he beat goaltender Ben Bishop with a one-timer high to the stick side.
The 19-year-old Girard was playing his second NHL game. The Quebec native was a second-round pick in 2016. Bishop made 27 saves. Forsberg made it 2-1 with 6:21 remaining in the second. With Nashville on a power play, Bishop got his glove on Girard’s slap shot from atop the left circle. Skating through the right circle, Forsberg tapped the rebound past the fallen Bishop.
At 15:09 of the third, Forsberg’s pass from the left point sent Arvidsson through the slot on a breakaway, and he beat Bishop with a wrist shot.
Subban added an empty-net goal at 18:06.
Predators defenseman Yannick Weber left the game with 9:21 left in the first after being checked by Martin Hanzal. With Weber reaching for a puck inside the Nashville blue line, Hanzal’s shoulder made contact with Weber’s head. Hanzal was assessed a major penalty for interference. Weber did not return to the game.
Predators captain Roman Josi missed his second consecutive game with a lower-body injury.