Former Nashville Predator Eeli Tolvanen scores 2 in Kraken victory on Pekka Rinne statue day
Paul Skrbina
On a day that began with their former goalie Pekka Rinne’s statue was unveiled outside Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Predators looked to score a victory Saturday against the Seattle Kraken.
The result was a 7-2 victory for the Kraken in the second meeting in three days between the teams.
The Predators had just one shot on goal during the first period, tying a franchise record. They had none at full strength and were outshot 13-1 in the period.
Daniel Sprong sprung the visitors to a 1-0 lead with his rebound goal with 16 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in the first period, a goal that withstood an interference challenge from the Predators.
Former Predators Eeli Tolvanen made it 2-0 Kraken with a power-play goal with 2:23 left in the first.
Tyson Barrie scored on the Predators' second shot on goal -- and first at full strength -- with 18:17 left in the second period to cut the deficit in half. Phil Tomasino had a chance to tie the score with a 1-on-none breakaway with just over 11 minutes left in the second, but was denied.
Predators goalie Juuse Saros came too far out of the net trying to prevent a breakaway, though, and Tolvanen made Nashville pay with his second goal of the game, this time into the empty net with 2:44 left in the second.
Matt Duchene's score 53 seconds into the third pulled the Predators to within one, 3-2.
The Predators are 36-27-8 and began the day five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Kraken are 40-24-8.
Predators center Cody Glass went down near center ice with 18:28 remaining in regulation and was slow to get to his feet before leaving the ice and heading to the dressing room. Not long after that, Adam Larsson made it 4-2 Seattle 3:37 into the third. Less than five minutes later, Matty Deniers put the Kraken ahead 5-2. Jared McCann pushed it to 6-2 a little more than two minutes later.
That number moved to 7-2 on Oliver Bjorkstrand's goal less than two minutes after that.
The Predators defeated the Kraken 2-1 in a shootout Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Roman Josi, Alexandre Carrier and Juuso Parssinen did not play again due to their various injuries.
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