The Preds returned home to host the Kings in a high-stakes game, and it didn’t go the way they were hoping.
The Kings opened the game strongly, and a brief Nashville pushback was interrupted by a brutal Luke Evangelista turnover, promptly followed by a Carl Grundström goal at 8:51. The Preds got their skates back under them after that, putting some chances on David Rittich, and Tommy Novak eventually drew a slashing penalty with 1:01 left in the period, sending Matt Roy to the box and the Preds to the power play.
Los Angeles killed the penalty smoothly, helped out by the intermission and what looked like a certain lack of urgency on the Preds’ part, and play returned to five on five.