Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens: did Juraj Slafkovský’s third-period goal seal it at Bridgestone Arena?

The Nashville Predators moved to a 34-30-9 record for 1 point after a 4-1 loss, while the Montreal Canadiens improved to 41-21-10 for 4 points at Bridgestone Arena. The Preds logged 24 shots and 25 hits, and the Habs finished with 32 shots and 20 hits in a game that ended at 1:52 AM EDT.

First period

The Nashville Predators were held scoreless in the opening period as the Montreal Canadiens struck for 1 goal. The Preds produced 0 goals on 0 power plays in the period, and the Canadiens carried a 1-goal edge from even strength scoring that showed up in their 4 even strength goals on the night.

Second period

The Nashville Predators went scoreless again in the second period while the Montreal Canadiens posted 3 goals in the middle frame. The Preds went 0-for-3 on the power play with 5 power-play shots overall, and Montreal went 0-for-2 with 3 power-play shots overall. Nashville’s goaltender Juuse Saros finished with 28 saves on 32 shots against, and Montreal’s Jacob Fowler earned the win with 23 saves on 24 shots against.

Third period

The Nashville Predators avoided the shutout with 1 third-period goal after Zachary L'Heureux scored and finished with 1 goal on 2 shots. The Canadiens closed out the 4-1 result by allowing only 1 goal at even strength, and their 12 shooting percent outpaced Nashville’s 4 shooting percent. Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens recap also reflected a 50 percent faceoff rate for both teams on 58 draws apiece, with each side recording 29 faceoffs won.

The Preds received 1 assist from Matthew Wood and 1 assist from Ryan Ufko, and Saros added 3 power-play saves and 3 shorthanded saves in the crease. The Canadiens were led in the postgame recognition by Ivan Demidov as the first star, with Fowler named the second star and Juraj Slafkovský the third star. The teams combined for 8 penalty minutes by Montreal and 16 penalty minutes by Nashville, and the Preds finished with 18 giveaways alongside 3 takeaways.

Nashville Predators match rating can start with the physical ledger that showed 25 hits and 17 blocked shot attempts for the home side. Nashville Predators full-time result also included a minus-15 team plus-minus for Nashville and a plus-15 mark for Montreal. Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens final thoughts will point to the Habs getting 4 goals at even strength while Nashville finished with 1 even strength goal.

The Nashville Predators are scheduled to play next as the away team against the Tampa Bay Lightning on 3/29/2026 at 5:00 PM EDT at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. The upcoming broadcast lists ESPN+, The Spot, and FDSSO as viewing options for fans tracking the Preds on the road. Keep it locked on the next matchup, and share this article with other Preds fans.