Craig Smith scored two goals and the Nashville Predators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Saturday night.

Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for Nashville. P.K. Subban had two assists. Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots in place of Pekka Rinne, who played Friday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

Shea Weber scored against his former team for the Canadiens. Carey Price made 28 saves as Montreal lost for the first time in three games.

It was the second matchup between Weber and Subban since the Predators and Canadiens traded players in the summer of 2016. The defensemen also faced off on Mar. 2, 2017, when Montreal won 2-1 at Bell Centre.

The Predators have earned points in four straight games (3-0-1) despite recent injuries to Filip Forsberg, Kyle Turris and Yannick Weber.

Nashville was the faster and sharper team, especially in the first period when the Predators outshot Montreal 16-11.

Smith extended his personal point streak to five games when he took the rebound of a Subban shot and scored past Price at 10:44 of the first period, giving the Predators a 1-0 lead. Smith has scored in three straight games.

Nashville went up 2-0 with 36 seconds remaining in the first after Ekholm’s slap shot deflected off Max Domi’s stick and beat Price high.

Weber got one back for the Canadiens at 12:47 of the second period, when he threw a bouncing puck on net that sailed past a few Predators players. It was Weber’s second career goal against Nashville.

Smith answered 18 seconds later with a wraparound for his second of the game and team-leading 14th of the season. The Canadiens challenged for goalie interference on the play, but the call on the ice stood.

Subban notched his second assist on the play and his third point in the last two games after a six-game pointless streak. Subban has 300 career assists.

Montreal made a push in the third period, but Saros stopped all eight shots he faced.

Arvidsson added an empty-net goal for the Predators with 45 seconds left in the game.

NOTES: The Predators play four more games on their current season-high six-game trip.

UP NEXT

Predators: At Toronto on Monday.

Canadiens: Host Minnesota on Monday.

___

Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban stretches prior to an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators’ P.K. Subban stretches prior to an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens' Tomas Tatar (90) moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens’ Tomas Tatar (90) moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' P.K. Subban (76) is driven into the glass by Montreal Canadiens' Artturi Lehkonen during second-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators’ P.K. Subban (76) is driven into the glass by Montreal Canadiens’ Artturi Lehkonen during second-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators' Frederick Gaudreau (89) moves in against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price as Canadiens' Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) defends during second-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Nashville Predators’ Frederick Gaudreau (89) moves in against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price as Canadiens’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) defends during second-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price makes a save against Nashville Predators' Phillip Di Giuseppe during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price makes a save against Nashville Predators’ Phillip Di Giuseppe during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is scored against by Nashville Predators' Craig Smith (15) as Predators' Colton Sissons (10) and Canadiens' Max Domi look for a rebound during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is scored against by Nashville Predators’ Craig Smith (15) as Predators’ Colton Sissons (10) and Canadiens’ Max Domi look for a rebound during first-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens' Kenny Agostino, centre, moves in on Nashville Predators goaltender moves in on Juuse Saros as Predators' Matt Irwin defends during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens’ Kenny Agostino, centre, moves in on Nashville Predators goaltender moves in on Juuse Saros as Predators’ Matt Irwin defends during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens' Joel Armia, left, moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens’ Joel Armia, left, moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens' Kenny Agostino (47) moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros as Predators' Matt Irwin defends during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens’ Kenny Agostino (47) moves in against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros as Predators’ Matt Irwin defends during third-period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Jan. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Source: The Associated Press

Tags: