Predators 5, Canadiens 2: O'Reilly's Tip, Then Two Into the Empty Net

October 8, 2026 - Montreal - Centre Bell had a 2-0 lead in the second. It also had Chris Kreider's apparent first-period goal wiped out for offside. By the time Ryan O'Reilly tipped Roman Josi with 3:16 left, Nashville had the building quiet, and two empty-netters made it look worse than the play had been.

The Nashville Predators beat the Montréal Canadiens 5-2. Nashville is 2-1-1. Montreal is 1-2-1, three straight losses. Shots were 34-20 Montreal, per the NHL box. The Associated Press recap on ESPN used 34-18. The gamecenter file is 20 Predators shots. Attendance was 20,962.

Juuse Saros stopped 32 of 34. Steven Stamkos and Josi each had two assists. Adam Edstrom scored twice into the empty net. Alexander Kerfoot had a goal and an assist. Matthew Wood tied it. Edstrom and Kerfoot are unlinked.

Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for Montreal. Jacob Fowler stopped 15 of 18 in his season debut after a Wednesday recall from Laval, the NHL recap said, with Sam Montembeault out with a lower-body injury from practice. Newhook and Fowler are unlinked.

Offside challenge, then Suzuki and Newhook to 2-0

Kreider appeared to put Montreal up 1-0 at 1:36 of the first, lifting a Newhook rebound off Saros' pad, the NHL recap said. Nashville challenged for offside. Video review wiped it out. The first period stayed 0-0.

Suzuki scored at 3:12 of the second while the teams skated 4-on-4. He collected a loose puck in a scramble and banked a backhand through Saros' five-hole. No assist on the NHL landing. His third goal in four games. 1-0.

Newhook made it 2-0 at 8:50. Josh Anderson's forecheck forced Adam Wilsby into a turnover behind the net, the NHL recap said, and Newhook flipped Anderson's centering pass over Saros' glove. Anderson is unlinked. Wilsby is not seeded.

Suzuki, the Montreal captain, told NHL.com they outplayed Nashville most of the night and did not score on their chances. The score is what it is.

Kerfoot, Wood, then O'Reilly from the slot

Kerfoot cut it to 2-1 at 15:06, tipping Wilsby's point shot from in front. Ross Colton's first point with Nashville, the NHL notes said. Colton is unlinked. Kerfoot's first goal with the Predators.

Wood tied it at 19:28 on the power play. The puck was loose in a pileup. The net came off after Anderson hit Stamkos into the left post, the NHL recap said. Review kept the goal. Helpers from Stamkos and Filip Forsberg. Wood, per NHL.com: he does not even know how it came to him. It was there, and he put it in. 2-2 after two.

Saros denied Anderson on a breakaway with a left-pad save at 11:13 of the third. Anderson told NHL.com it is frustrating when the game is on your stick. He is still thinking about it.

Mike Matheson tripped Stamkos in the neutral zone, the AP recap said. O'Reilly set up in the slot and tipped Josi's one-timer glove side at 16:44. 3-2. O'Reilly, per NHL.com: they stuck with it, it was not pretty, and those are huge two points.

Edstrom hit the empty net at 17:23 from Brady Skjei and Kerfoot. First goal with Nashville, the NHL notes said. He hit it again at 18:34 from Josi and Jack Drury. Drury is unlinked. 5-2.

O'Reilly again: they found a way, and they also looked like two different teams. If it was not for Saros, it could have gotten out of hand.

The Predators finished with 11 forwards and five defensemen after Mavrik Bourque and William Trudeau each left with upper-body injuries, the NHL notes said. Josi has five points in four games to open the year. Stamkos has six in a four-game streak.

Nashville visits Ottawa on Saturday. Montreal hosts Detroit.

AthX Engine on 32 saves and two empty-netters

AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) scored Saros at 13.40. Edstrom is 10.20 (two goals, two shots, two blocks). Josi is 7.20. Kerfoot is 7.10. O'Reilly is 6.20 with a power-play bonus and two PIM. Stamkos is 6.20. Suzuki is 5.10. Fowler is 2.40.

Nashville's team line is 21.00. Montreal floors at 0.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for a 32-save road win after a 2-0 hole, and for a Canadiens club that generated 34 shots and two goals. They are not the same number.

Track Saros, O'Reilly, Stamkos, and both clubs on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), ESPN box score, NHL.com recap, NHL.com scoreboard, ESPN NHL scoreboard. AthX Engine fantasy points scored from NHL gamecenter box 2026020058. Information only; not financial advice.*