Nashville Predators coach John Hynes not about to 'let it be' during recent rough stretch

"Let it Be" played on a loop inside Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night — first to review a possible clock malfunction after Filip Forsberg had scored a goal and again right after that when the goal itself was reviewed and overturned.

"Just trying to sing along and hope it stays," Forsberg said. 

It didn't, of course, and the Predators found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 score against the Vegas Golden Knights.

As a result of the result, they also found themselves in the last place they wanted to be on Thanksgiving — at Bridgestone Arena.

They reported for work there at noon, their holiday interrupted by a practice following a night of bad decisions.

No doubt coach John Hynes had some words of wisdom for his team ahead of a home-and-away back-to-back Friday against the New Jersey Devils and Saturday at the Colorado Avalanche.

Hynes, who was visibly incensed after Wednesday's loss, didn't have much to say when asked about the that stinker full of turnovers and poor passes.

"I thought it was a lot off," he said when asked how he felt about his team's execution.

That's bound to happen during a long season. But this was the third time in the previous four games they'd lost by three. That happened just once during the first 15 games.

Two games before, the Montreal Canadiens dominated them despite a hat trick from Matt Duchene.

Hynes' curt responses Wednesday were unusual for him, even in defeat. But he knew his team was teetering in dangerous territory. This was a loss he could not, would not accept.

Letting it be was not an option. Not after the team not many expected much out of this season had begun to consistently show the identity Hynes had been preaching about since his arrival. Same he did during the team's 1-4   start.

He praised the Golden Knights, but with a caveat. This was more on the Predators, he thought. There was "quite a bit" that needed to change going into the weekend, he said.

"When you look at the decisions we made and the execution we made, that was a big issue," he said.

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One he is trying to prevent from becoming a bigger issue nearly a quarter of the way into the regular season.

The only bright side for the Predators that night was the return of Forsberg, who had missed the previous nine games with an upper-body injury after his head was accidentally introduced to Roman Josi's shoulder.

Forsberg had two goals, one taken away and one shot ping off the post. His long-term future with the Predators remains uncertain.

One thing is for certain: He and the Predators can't let it be or they'll find themselves in places they don't want to be.

Reach Paul Skrbina at pskrbina@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulSkrbina.