Mark Humphrey / AP
Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm, of Sweden, moves the puck past Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn.
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 | 10:40 p.m.
NASHVILLE — A first-period lead for the Golden Knights on Tuesday was quickly erased in the second period against the Predators.
Nashville’s Ryan Hartman scored two goals in 57 seconds, and the Predators closed the game with four unanswered goals in a 4-1 victory.
Vegas, which scored when Jonathan Marchessault assisted Reilly Smith for a 1-0 lead in the first, was limited to 11 shots in the final two periods.
“In the NHL right now, you don’t know who is going to win every night. That’s what is so fun about it,” Marchessault said. “Nashville is a hard place to come and play.”
Marchessault, who signed a six-year, $30 million extension in the offseason, leads the Golden Knights with six goals and five assists through 12 games. Or, as defenseman Jon Merrill said, “As he goes, we go.”
That wasn’t the case against Nashville, as Vegas dropped to 5-6-1 on the season.
“It’s a new year, we need to turn the page and stop talking about last year,” Marchessault said. “We are having some adversity, but we aren’t in a bad spot. I think we are going to keep moving in the right direction.”
While last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final — a season in which Marchessault had a career-best 75 points — is in the past, there’s no denying it helped turned the 27-year-old forward into one of Vegas’ more popular players. And, as witnessed in Nashville, that popularity isn’t limited to home.
There were plenty of Marchessault’s jersey No. 81 in the stands on Tuesday.
Wendy Pannell is a Las Vegas native who now calls Nashville home. She has never been to a game at T-Mobile Arena, but that didn’t stop her from supporting her favorite team and player on Tuesday.
“I feel like I can always stand behind him,” Pannell said. “The team is awesome, but I love seeing Marchessault shine.”
The Golden Knights’ road trip continues Thursday against St. Louis, where Marchessault surely will again be a main attraction.
“I don’t think of myself as one of the best in the game,” he said. “I just come here, do my work and try to push others to be better.”
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