Lankinen Lifts Predators to 2-1 Win Over Blue Jackets

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Preds
By Emma Lingan | Last updated 3/9/24

Kiefer Sherwood scored a goal in his hometown and Luke Evangelista scored the game winner, but it was goaltender Kevin Lankinen who saved the day in the Nashville Predators' 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Lankinen made 33 saves for the Predators, who have won 10 of 11 (10-0-1) and six straight on the road. It was his third straight win during Nashville's active 11-game point streak; his last two starts came in a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 20 and a 4-2 defeat of the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 25.

Lankinen did not face a shot for the first 15 minutes of the game, but faced an onslaught in the final minutes of the first period. Alexandre Texier scored the Blue Jackets' lone goal early in the second period, but Lankinen kept the score tied through the first 40 minutes.

Preds lead 1-0 after the first period, thanks to Kiefer Sherwood and these stops by Kevin Lankinen. pic.twitter.com/qWZaIfWHns
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) March 9, 2024

Lankinen made 12 saves in the third period and withstood a 6-on-5 attack in the final seconds of regulation to help the Predators squeeze out the win.

"He was our MVP," Evangelista said of Lankinen during a postgame interview on Bally Sports South. "He played out of his mind. When they were making big pushes, he was making big stops for us. Especially at the end there, the diving one - that was crazy; that was a hell of a save. So, he was awesome for us."

LANKS ️ pic.twitter.com/bPN2FhSsmj
— Bally Sports: Preds (@PredsOnBally) March 9, 2024

The result moved Lankinen to 6-1-0 in his last seven starts and 9-4-0 on the season. The Predators will be back in action on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild, with Juuse Saros expected to start between the pipes.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Preds and was syndicated with permission.

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