The Nashville Predators defended Bridgestone Arena with a goal-scoring clinic, netting five shots against the Tampa Bay Lightning en route to a 5-3 home win.
Sergei Kostitsyn opened up the scoring on the night early in the first period on assists by Craig Smith and Mike Fisher. Kostitsyn repaid the favor a few minutes later by pairing with Craig Smith on a Fisher goal to double the advantage. The Lightning fought back at the end of the period as Steven Stamkos scored his fifth of the season with four minutes left in the period on assists by Teddy Purcell and Ryan Malone. Then Purcell scored his own on assists by Brett Connolly and Marc-Andre Bergeron with less than a minute left in the period, tying the game 2-2.
That, however, was the high water mark on the night for the Lightning, as the Predators rolled off three second period goals by Patric Hornqvist, Nick Spaling and a second goal by Fisher to extend their lead 5-2.
Stamkos again scored early in the third period on assists by Bergeron and Martin St. Louis, to up his season tally to six to cut into the lead. But the score would stand 5-3 from that point on, and that would be the final margin.
With the win the Predators move to 4-4-1. With the loss the Lightning drop to 4-4-2. For more coverage on the Lightning, stay tuned to SB Nation Tampa Bay.