Original publication: The Tennessean
Original date of publication: Oct. 19. 2013
MONTREAL – Seth Jones’ confidence just keeps growing, and it’s showing at both ends of the ice.
With 1:27 left in regulation and the Canadiens pressing throughout the third period, the rookie defenseman toe-dragged a David Legwand pass around Montreal blue-liner Josh Gorges to give Nashville a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
“It was just kind of a reaction thing. I saw the forward’s back was turned and he couldn’t see me, obviously, so I just kind of went. Leggy made a great play,” Jones said.
It capped off a night that saw Jones log 27:29 of ice time, a total that came in second among both teams only to partner Shea Weber.
“Right now he’s playing with Shea and that’s going to help him,” Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne said. “He’s playing extremely well. It’s fun to watch.
“He’s a young guy and he’s using his strengths. He’s not afraid to deke guys and sometimes make a little bit risky plays but he has that kind of confidence and swagger and it’s great to have him.”
The Predators opened the scoring midway through the first period. With the first penalty in a two-man advantage winding down, Weber moved in from the point to the right faceoff circle to take a shot. It deflected off Gorges and past Canadiens netminder Carey Price for the Predators’ first road power-play goal of the season.
It was one of 14 shots Nashville would toss at Price in the opening frame.
“The whole game we played extremely well. The first two periods, we put a lot of pressure on their net and Price, he was playing extremely well,” said Rinne. “In the third, we killed some huge penalties. Our PK did a great job.
“It’s a big win for us; it’s our first road win this year.”
The Predators kept tossing the goods at Price in the second period, adding another 16 to their total but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Montreal finally got on the board at 7:02 of the second when sophomore winger Brendan Gallagher cleaned up a mess in the crease with a backhander over Rinne.
The Canadiens thought they had taken the lead early in the third when center Lars Eller appeared to get the puck by Rinne. Referee Chris Rooney motioned that it was a goal but a lengthy review and a discussion among the four officials overturned the call.
“It was between my elbow and my side,” Rinne explained. “I got fortunate there that Eller didn’t get all of it. He was kind of going down and got a weak shot. I got my arm around it and kind of squeezed it in my side. I knew right away that it wasn’t in.”
Notes: The Predators scratched Mike Fisher (injured) and Rich Clune. … The game was the first at the Bell Centre for Predators LW Gabriel Bourque, a native of Rimouski, Quebec.