Jonathan Marchessault scored to guide the Nashville Predators to a 2-0 win over the New York Rangers in a duel of struggling teams on Tuesday night.
The Quebecer obtained his eighth goal of the season, helped by Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg, who then contributed to that of Adam Wilsby.
At the other end of the ice, Juuse Saros frustrated the opposition with 26 saves to earn his third shutout of the season and his 26th career.
The Preds have signed only their second victory in their last 11 outings. The Blueshirts have now lost 5 of their last 6 meetings and 11 of their last 14.
Without their leading scorer, Artemi Panarin, the Rangers were unable to find the back of the net. Panarin missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury after participating in morning skate.
Left out on Sunday against the St Louis Blues, striker Kaapo Kakko took his place. Kakko had difficulty explaining this decision, claiming that he was not the worst in the group and that he was not often on the ice for opposing goals.
Although he was not directly responsible for the goal, he was there in the first period today when Marchessault redirected a perfect backhand pass from Stamkos into the top of the cage during a breakthrough with Forsberg.
Playing his first game since being acquired from the Ducks in exchange for Jacob Trouba 11 days ago, defenseman Urho Vaakanainen was in the front row as he was stunned by the Preds’ first line down the stretch.
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