BOSTON — Ryan O’Reilly delivered a standout performance by scoring twice and providing an assist as the Nashville Predators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-3 on Tuesday night. Steven Stamkos also contributed significantly with a goal and two assists. This victory marked a notable achievement on the road for Nashville, a team that has struggled away from home this season.
The team was propelled by goals from Tommy Novak and Jonathan Marchessault, with Mark Jankowski sealing the win with an empty-netter late in the third period. Goalie Juuse Saros was instrumental in the Predators’ defensive effort, making 18 saves and stifling any momentum the Bruins attempted to muster throughout the game.
For Boston, Charlie Coyle, Jordan Oesterle, and Morgan Geekie found the back of the net. Despite David Pastrnak’s return to form with two assists, his previous 17-game point streak was snapped recently during a shutout loss to Minnesota. Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins’ goalie, was kept busy with 24 saves, though it wasn’t enough to prevent Boston from slumping to their sixth loss in seven games.
Boston played without their captain, Brad Marchand, who sustained an upper-body injury following a hard hit in their win against Pittsburgh last Saturday. His absence was felt as the team struggled to maintain their rhythm.
This win improved Nashville’s standing to 6-16-4 against Eastern Conference teams, notably including two victories over Boston. Previously, Nashville had shut out Boston 4-0 on home turf in October. A pivotal moment in the recent match was O’Reilly’s second goal, which came swiftly after Marchessault’s goal that had given Nashville a 4-3 lead, undermining Boston’s efforts to rally in the third.
Analyzing the match stats, Boston managed only five shots on goal in the first period and a mere eight in both the second and third periods, demonstrating the Predators’ effective defense. Upcoming games see Nashville returning home to face the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, while the Bruins hit the road to play against the Carolina Hurricanes before continuing their away games.
