The Nashville Predators (27-38-8, 62 points) fell to the Vegas Golden Knights (45-20-8, 98 points), 3-1, Saturday at Bridgestone Arena.
Ryan O'Reilly scored Nashville's lone goal on the power play, and Justus Annunen made 26 saves in goal. Adin Hill made 23 saves to earn his second win in as many nights for Vegas.
Ilya Samsonov took warmups with the Golden Knights, but it was Hill who made the start on Saturday despite also starting Friday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Samsonov remained on the bench for the first period as Hill's backup but did not return after the first intermission.
How the Predators Lined Up vs. Vegas
Forsberg-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Bunting-Stamkos-Marchessault
L'Heureux-Svechkov-Sissons
Smith-McCarron-Bellows
Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Barron
Englund-Stastney
Annunen
Saros
Extra: Vrana, Oesterle
IR: Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby
Predators vs. Golden Knights: Live Updates
First Period (NSH 0, VGK 0)
Predators forward Colton Sissons left during the first period with an apparent lower-body injury after taking a hit and falling awkwardly to the ice behind the Vegas net. Sissons needed to be helped off the ice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he headed back to the locker room.
The game remained scoreless after the first period, with the shot total even at nine apiece.
Second Period (NSH 1, VGK 1)
The first goal of the game was scored on the first power play of the game for either team less than six minutes into the second period. After William Karlsson was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct, it took the Predators' top power play unit just six seconds to find the back of the net. Ryan O'Reilly tipped in a Nick Blankenburg shot from the blue line to give Nashville the 1-0 lead at the 5:53 mark of the second period.
Filip Forsberg recorded the secondary assist on the play, moving him into second place on the Predators' all-time assists leaderboard with 357.
Vegas had an answer less than three minutes later, however, when Jack Eichel scored on the rebound of a Shea Theodore shot to tie the score at 1-1.
O'Reilly appeared to score his second goal of the period a few minutes later, but a successful coach's challenge by Vegas determined that Luke Evangelista interfered with the goalie prior to the play and there was no goal.
Third Period (NSH 1, VGK 3)
With Justin Barron in the box for hooking, Reilly Smith broke the tie for Vegas on the power play by picking up a loose puck and scoring to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead at the 6:25 mark of the third period.
Brett Howden scored into the empty net with 45 seconds remaining in regulation for the 3-1 final.
