Gameday Recap: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars (First Round: Game 3)

Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars
Series Tied 1-1

Game Recap:

In Game 3 of this match, the first period would be a fast-paced period both teams going on the power play.  There would be a lot of puck possession between both squads and there would be a lot of excellent chances for the teams to score.  Both teams would lay out their fair share of hits in the contest, with the Stars having 20 hits in the first period to Nashville’s 10.

In the second period, Rocco Grimaldi would get his second goal in the series when the puck would bounce off of Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop at the 3:29 mark.  Dallas would get a few chances to tie the score in the next couple of minutes after Grimaldi’s goal but Rinne would stop those shots with great saves.  Nashville would then kill off a 5 on 3 penalty, with the Stars getting several chances at the net.  Possession would then swing back Nashville’s way before they would turn over the puck to the Stars who would then hold on before an offsides call was made midway through the period.  Filip Forsberg would make the contest 2-0 Nashville with 5:25 left in the period.  After a great set-up play, Mats Zuccarello would get the Stars on the board with under 3 minutes to play in the period, and the goal would inject some life into the Stars bench.  Austin Watson would be called for a  tripping penalty with 25 seconds remaining in the period, giving the Stars a chance to tie the game with an extra man when they have 1:35 left on the power play going into the third period.

Going into the third period, Nashville would be successful in killing off the penalty and Nashville would get some chances to get a comfortable lead.  The period would have the puck go back and forth until Dallas would score at the 8:15 mark in the period with Tyler Seguin getting the goal to tie the game a 2.  Nashville would get the lead back after a faceoff and the puck would bounce off of Dallas D Miro Heiskanen’s stick at the 11:41 mark in the period and Nashville Mikhail Granlund would be awarded the goal.  Dallas would get several chances in the front of the net, however, Pekka Rinne would makes several saves after the hacks and whacks at the net.  Dallas would pull Ben Bishop with 2:11 left in the contest to add six attackers to try and tie the score but it would not help out and Nashville would escape with a Game 3 win, and the 2-1 series lead.

 

Nashville Predators Lines and Defencive Pairings

Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson

Mikael Granlund-Kyle Turris-Craig Smith

Colton Sissons-Nick Bonino-Austin Watson

Miikka Salomaki-Calle Jarnkrok-Rocco Grimaldi

Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis

Mattias Ekholm-P.K. Subban

Dan Hamhuis-Dante Fabbro

Pekka Rinne

Juusa Saros

Injured: Brian Boyle (appendix procedure), Wayne Simmonds (lower body)

Scratched: Brian Boyle, Matt Irwin, Yannick Weber, Rem Pitlick, Zac Rinaldo, , Cody McLeod, Frederick Gaudreau, Niclas Westerholm, Wayne Simmonds

 

Dallas Stars Lines and Defencive Pairings

Mats-Zuccarello-Tyler Seguin-Alexander Radulov

Jamie Benn-Roope Hintz-Justin Dowling

Blake Comeau-Radek Faksa-Jason Dickinson

Mattias Janmark-Jason Spezza-Valeri Nichushkin

Esa Lindell-John Klingberg

Miro Heiskanen-Roman Polak

Jamie Oleksiak-Ben Lovejoy

Ben Bishop

Anton Khudobin

Injuries: Stephen Johns (upper body), Marc Methot (lower body), Martin Hanzal (back), Brett Ritchie (hand)

Scratched: Julius Honka, Jason Spezza, Taylor Fedun, Landon Bow

 

First Period:

Dallas Penalty: Alexander Radulov  for Roughing  —  2 min minor  —  4:18

Nashville Penalty: Filip Forsberg for Hooking  —  2 min minor  —  8:14

 

End of 1st – NSH – 0       DAL – 0

Shots              14                11

Faceoffs         07                12

Hits               10                  20

PP                 0/1                 0/1

 

 

Second Period:

Nashville Goal: Rocco Grimaldi (2) assisted by P.K. Subban (1) and Miikka Salomaki (1) —  3:29

Nashville Penalty: Viktor Arvidsson for Interference  —  2 min minor  —  5:38

 

Nashville Penalty: Nick Bonino for Tripping  —  2 min minor  —  6:09

 

Nashville Goal: Filip Forsberg (1) Nick Bonino (2)  assisted by —  14:35

 

 

Dallas Goal: Mats Zuccarello (1) assisted by John Klingberg (2)  —  17:11

 

Nashville Penalty: Austin Watson for Tripping  —  19:35

End of 2nd – DAL – 1       NSH – 2

Shots              27                  20

Faceoffs         25                  18

Hits                 17                  34

PP                 0/4*                 0/1

*1:35 left in 4th PP

 

 

Third Period

Dallas Goal: Tyler Seguin (1) assisted by Jamie Benn (2) and Alexander Radulov (1)  —  8:15

 

 

Nashville Goal: Mikhail Granlund (1) assisted by Dante Fabbro (1) and Kyle Turris (1)  —  11:41

 

 

 

End of 3rd – DAL – 2       NSH – 3

Shots              42                28

Faceoffs        36                27

Hits               42                 23

PP                 0/4                 0/1

 

My Three Stars of the Game:

First Star: Nashville G Pekka Rinne with 40 saves

Second Star: Dallas F Tyler Seguin with a goal and 11 Shots on Goal

Third Star: Nashville F Mikhail Granlund with the GWG for Nashville

 

 

Game 4 of the series takes place Wednesday night in Dallas at 8 p.m., ET