P.K. Subban’s 3-point night leads Predators to Game 1 win

Nashville Predators star defenseman P.K. Subban had a quiet first round by P.K. Subban standards. He had two assists in four games, after tallying 38 points in 56 career playoff games with the Montreal Canadiens. But he did all the little things, including a 57.46-percent Corsi-For percentage at 5-on-5.

In Game 1 of the Central Division Final against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night, Subban was anything but quiet. He became the first defenseman in Predators’ history to have three points in a playoff game, as Nashville defeated the Blues, 4-3, to take a 1-0 series lead in Round 2 and remain unbeaten in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was a physical affair between the division rivals, with hard hits thrown throughout. It also featured one frightening moment, as Predators forward Kevin Fiala was stretchered off the ice after an end boards collision in the first period.

It also featured the two best goalies in the opening round of the playoffs giving up more goals in one game than they have in any game of these playoffs. Jake Allen of the Blues had eight goals-against in five games against the Minnesota Wild; Pekka Rinne had three goals against in their sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Rinne made 27 saves. Allen made 28.

Subban assisted on Colin Wilson’s first-period power-play goal, firing a shot that he tipped home. He made it 2-0 at 2:22 of the second with a blast from the point. After the Blues cut the lead to 2-1, Subban assisted on Filip Forsberg’s skate-assisted power-play goal at 12:11 of the second.

The Blues rallied with goals from Jaden Schwartz and Vlad Sobotka in the third, but the game-winner arrived from an unlikely source for the Predators: Vernon Fiddler, who didn’t play in the first round but was inserted into Game 1 by coach Peter Laviolette:

That’s a heck of a hunch right there by the Predators’ coach.

Game 2 is on Friday night in St. Louis.

—

Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

MORE FROM YAHOO SPORTS