NASHVILLE — Jimmy Vesey’s homecoming showcased more resentment than a politically divided Thanksgiving. Don’t expect that sentiment to change anytime soon.
Vesey, who was drafted by the Predators and notoriously spurned them to play the free-agent market, came to Nashville for the first time in his NHL career and scored a shootout goal in his first career attempt to lead the Rangers to their second straight win, 2-1, Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.
The Rangers managed only one shot in overtime, and the Predators had two before it went to a shootout.
Henrik Lundqvist, who made 31 saves, stopped both shots he faced in the shootout — against the Predators’ Ryan Johansen and Craig Smith.
The Rangers scored on both of their shootout attempts. After Vesey’s top-shelf wrister, Mats Zuccarello sealed the win when he slid a backhander under Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros (26 saves).
Zuccarello, a shootout specialist, improved to 16-for-33 for his career.
Vesey, who was greeted with boos and derogatory chants every time he took the ice, gave fans every reason to keep hating him. Alain Vigneault said before the game that he didn’t expect the reception to do too much damage and Vesey hardly seemed rattled, scoring in his very first shootout attempt.
The Rangers have won five of their last six contests and have allowed only four goals in those seven games. They also got another strong performance by Rick Nash.
It was only a few minutes after Nash scored his game-winning, breakaway goal on Thursday night that he lamented that he wasn’t yet at peak performance. He didn’t feel all that fast, he said, and after missing four games to a groin injury, “you lose a step,” he said.
“I’m trying to find that back,” he said.
Well, he found it, and early in the game, it was clear he wanted the world to know.
At 7:47 of the first period, Nash was at his vintage best. After taking a pass from Kevin Hayes, he shook two skaters down the ice and finally beat out Petter Granberg to finish with a meticulously placed top- shelf snap shot to Saros’ short side to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
It was his second goal in two games since returning from a groin injury he suffered on Dec. 6.
Mike Fisher eventually tied it when his unassisted wrister with 10:38 left squeaked past Lundqvist.
Nash, who has a team-leading 13 goals, has a particular affinity for the Predators. He should, given that he’s notched a point against them in their last six meetings.
Perhaps even better news for the Rangers is that the injury that sidelined him hasn’t stopped his continual return to excellence.
After struggling last season, he seems unstoppable and has had a point in seven of his last 10 games, with nine total.
..... - Newsday