Predators’ Pekka Rinne sharp in return to the net
TAMPA, Fla. — Pekka Rinne made 42 saves in his return after missing five games with an injury, and the veteran goalie helped the Nashville Predators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 Thursday night. Rinne was hurt in the third period of a 5-3 win at Calgary on Oct. 19. He was stretching to try to stop the puck when teammate Kevin Fiala landed on top of him in an awkward collision. Calle Jarnkrok, Roman Josi, Miikka Salomaki and
Kyle Turris scored, and Ryan Johansen had two nifty assists for the Predators. Right wing Viktor Arvidsson, who has eight goals and 12 points this season, was a late scratch from the lineup due to a lower-body injury and is day to day. The Predators reached 10 wins in 13 games, the fastest in franchise history. The previous mark was 15 games, done three times. Tampa Bay got a goal from Slater Koekkoek, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots. Rinne made an outstanding save four minutes into the game when he lifted his right pad while lunging to the right and stopped Brayden Point’s rebound shot. Turris opened the scoring at 6:02 of the first before Josi made it 2-0 with 6.4 seconds left in the period off a backhand pass through the crease by Johansen. Koekkoek snapped a 16-game goal drought when he cut the deficit to 2-1 from the left circle at 14:21 of the second. Johansen had another backhand pass to set up Jarnkrok’s goal with 3:18 to play, and Salomaki added an empty-netter late.
BASKETBALL
› CLEVELAND — J.R. Smith has added another tier to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ mounting troubles. Dropped from the rotation and unhappy with his role on a team rebuilding through youth, Smith said Thursday that he wants to be traded. The enigmatic guard said he hasn’t formally requested a trade by Cleveland’s front office because the Cavs already are aware of his feelings. “They know,” Smith said after the team’s shootaround. “They don’t want me, so they obviously know.” The 33-year-old Smith said he was told earlier this season the Cavs would be focused on playing his younger teammates to develop them for the future. Cleveland is back to being an also-ran in the Eastern Conference since LeBron James’ departure this summer as a free agent. Smith didn’t play in Tuesday night’s win over Atlanta, the Cavs’ first game since coach Tyronn Lue was fired after an 0-6 start. Smith’s pricy contract makes it nearly impossible for the Cavs to trade him now. He is making $14.7 million this season, and his $15.6 million contract for 2019-20 is partially guaranteed for $3.8 million.