Fleury Makes 19 Saves, Golden Knights Beat Predators 3-0

NASHVILLE — Chandler Stephenson, Nicolas Roy and Reilly Smith scored, Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Saturday night.

The Golden Knights have won two straight, including at Carolina on Friday night. Vegas held Nashville to its lowest shots on goal total of the season at 19 and ended the Predators’ two-game winning streak.

Fleury finished his third shutout of the season and 59th in his career, breaking a tie with Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and tying Evgeni Nabokov for 18th all-time. Rinne stopped 36 of 38 shots.

Stephenson scored at 5:14 of the second period. In front of the Vegas bench, Mark Stone sent a pass to Stephenson to start a breakaway, and Stephenson beat Rinne high to the stick side.

Rinne kept Nashville close even as Vegas outshot the Predators 14-2 in the first period. Nashville went 16:32 between shots on goal. Shots were 15-6 in the Golden Knights’ favour in the second period.

Pekka Rinne Nashville Predators
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

Nashville’s best scoring opportunity came with 6:48 remaining in the second when Rocco Grimaldi’s backhand wraparound attempt slid across the crease.

Roy scored at 11:16 of the third on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle. The goal was Roy’s third of the season.

Smith added an empty-net goal at 18:58 of the third.

NOTES

Nashville C Calle Jarnkrok missed his second straight game due to an illness. … Saturday was the first time Nashville lost a home game in regulation to the Golden Knights. … Fleury is 10-7-1 in his career against Nashville. … Stone has points in three consecutive games.

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Visit Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Predators: Visit Winnipeg on Tuesday night.

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Jim Diamond, The Associated Press