Predators stay red hot in 3-2 shootout win over Vegas

LAS VEGAS — The old adage in gambling is that the house always wins. That saying also holds true for the Vegas Golden Knights who rarely lose at T-Mobile Arena, aptly nicknamed "The Fortress". In their 10th season, they are once again atop the Pacific division in the Western Conference.

But the Nashville Predators are right on their heels and Friday's head-to-head matchup was decided in a shootout as Roman Josi's goal in the fourth round was the difference to beat the Golden Knights, 3-2.

"I thought we lost the game a little bit in the third," said Rasmus Andersson who scored in the second period. "I thought (Nashville) was the better team in the third period and that costed us one point tonight."

Ryan O' Reilly scored twice and goaltender Jusse Saros stood on his head, stopping 40 shots in the win, improving to 7-3-4.

"I would say through two periods we generated some looks," said Vegas coach Ryan Craig of his team's volume of shots taken at Saros. " In the third we didn't manage the puck the way we did in the first two periods. We were not able to forecheck in the third because we didn't get to those spots where you could establish a forecheck."

In the shootout, rookie Trevor Connelly scored in the second round to give Vegas the lead. But Filip Forsberg lit the lamp in the third round to extend the shootout. Saros turned aside Jack Eichel who tried to deke Saros with one too many moves, setting the stage for Josi who beat goalie Aidin Hill with a wrister on the glove side for the come from behind game winner.

Vegas remains second in the Western Conference with 29 points while Nashville has won seven in a row, tied for the longest win streak by an NHL team this season. and is only two points behind the Golden Knights with 27. In addition, Nashville has won four consecutive road games. They continue on their five game roadie with a fourth stop in San Jose on Sunday to take on a struggling Sharks team that has gone 3-5-2 in their last ten games. But Team Teal has 18 points and are only four points behind Wild Card leaders Dallas and Utah which each have 22 points, respectively.

Despite the loss, Vegas has a points streak in six consecutive games and hosts the Vancouver Canucks, Sunday night in the third of a five-game homestand that concludes with the Dallas Stars on November 19.

Hill, who played for the Sharks back in the 2021-2022 season, made 30 saves. He has been with the Golden Knights ever since and has emerged as a solid netminder. Tomas Hertl who was drafted 17th in the first round by the Sharks back in 2012, got an assist on the Golden Knights' first goal of the game scored by Victor Olofsson.

Saros earned the number one star of the game while Hill was second and Josi and his game winning shootout goal, was third.

Editor's Note: Associate Reporter Angie Wong contributed to this report.