Novak scores, Lankinen stops 23 shots and Predators top Golden Knights 5-3

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tommy Novak scored his fourth goal in five games and the Nashville Predators defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Luke Evangelista, former Knight Cody Glass, Cole Smith and Gustav Nyquist also scored for the Predators. Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh each had two assists for Nashville. In his first start since Jan. 27, Kevin Lankinen stopped 23 shots.

The victory marked the first time the Predators have won consecutive games since Jan. 12 and 13.

Alex Pietrangelo, William Karlsson and Michael Amadio scored for the Golden Knights, who were playing on the second leg of back-to-back nights. Adin Hill made 35 stops.

Evangelista scored a goal for the second time in as many games when he skated into the right circle and fired a wrist shot under Hill’s arm to give Nashville an early 1-0 lead.

Pietrangelo tied the game later in the period when his wrist shot from the right circle went far side, top shelf on Lankinen.

With less than a minute remaining in the first period, Glass ripped a shot from the top of the slot to beat Hill over his blocker and give Nashville the lead again.

The Predators pushed the lead to two goals when Novak beat Hill through his legs, making it 3-1 midway through the second period.

Smith extended Nashville’s lead to three goals when he shot from the left circle past Hill.

The Golden Knights came out on the attack in the third, as Karlsson converted on a power-play 47 seconds into the period. Shea Theodore earned an assist on the goal in his first game since Nov. 22.

Amadio made it interesting with a goal late in the third to cut Nashville’s lead to one, but Nyquist answered with an empty-netter.

UP NEXT

Predators: Visit the Kings on Thursday.

Golden Knights: Host Maple Leafs on Thursday.

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