Predators crush Islanders to snap skid
AP
NASHVILLE — Craig Smith scored three times, Juuse Saros stopped 31 shots and the Predators beat the Islanders, 5-0, on Thursday night.
Rocco Grimaldi scored a goal and added an assist and Mattias Ekholm also scored for Nashville, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Islanders had won two in a row. Thomas Greiss allowed three goals on eight shots before he was replaced by Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 16 shots.
Making his fourth start in Nashville’s last five games, Saros recorded his second shutout of the season and ninth of his career.
“It always helps with the rhythm and everything feels more natural playing more, so it’s been good,” Saros said.
It was Smith’s first career hat trick. Prior to Thursday, Smith had 19 two-goal games, including two this season.
“It was great,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to get it, so it was nice.”
Smith scored just 35 seconds into the opening period.
Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy had the puck in the right circle. Smith lifted Leddy’s stick, took the puck and then beat Greiss with a quick wrist shot on the short side just underneath the crossbar.
“I just like the way he comes to the rink every day,” Nashville coach John Hynes said of Smith. “He’s a real coachable guy. He’s got good energy about himself. He’s focused.”
Smith got his second at 7:41 of the first. Behind the Islander net, Grimaldi sent a hard pass to Smith in the slot, where he beat Greiss with a wrist shot.