(Photo Credit: Andrew Nelles /The Tennessean)

By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On Twitter @adbblue

The Boston Bruins defeated a red-hot Nashville Predators team 3-0 Tuesday night, snapping their 18-game point streak. Linus Ullmark was the star of the show, making 32 saves en route to his second shutout of the season.Ā 

From the crease out, the Bruins played a strong game in all three zones of the ice. The penalty kill also shined and was perfect, going four for four. However, cleanly closing out the contest was perhaps the biggest takeaway from the victory.Ā 

First Period

The Bruins had the first great game opportunity created off the rush with Danton Heinen feeding David Pastrnak, but Predator’s goalie Jussi Saros turned it aside. Nashville answered with a quality chance of their own after Kiefer Sherwood was briefly in alone, but a Hampus Lindholm’s stick check prevented a shot on goal. Pastrnak had another great chance to set up Heinen from the slot, but Saros got a pad on it again.

After the Bruins got caught with their third line on the ice for an extended period in their defensive zone, it resulted in a heavy push by the Predators, but they could not take advantage. The Bruins were guilty of the game’s first penalty after Pastrnak committed a retaliatory cross-check on Jeremy Lauzon. Charlie McAvoy made a great read and stole the puck, leading to a shorthanded breakaway, but he couldn’t finish.

Boston dominated on the penalty kill, and the time ticked off the clock. Linus Ullmark made a dazzling stop on Ryan O’Reilly, point-blank, keeping the game scoreless. With 2:48 left, the Bruins received their first power play of the night. They registered three shots on goal but came up empty. Boston had the edge in shots on goal 11-6, and both goalies were perfect. Justin Brazeau left the game after an open-ice collision and did not return.

Second Period

Just over a minute into the period, McAvoy was called for a penalty, giving Nashville their second power play opportunity, but they were unsuccessful. The Predators had the next scoring chance coming off a Filip Forsberg wrist shot from the left face-off dot, but Ullmark flashed his pad out for the save. Pastrnak had a one-timer to create a net-mouth scramble a couple of shifts later, but Boston couldn’t capitalize.

Both teams traded a few more chances by generating traffic in front, but the goaltenders had x-ray vision. With 5:41 remaining, a questionable interference call went against Jake DeBrusk, resulting in the third Nashville power play. It looked like they had gotten on the board first when Roman Josi had a wide-open net, but he hit the post, and the puck stayed out.

The Bruins got their second power play with 2:38 left in the middle frame but did nothing with the opportunity. With 0:16 to go, Cole Smith snuck by Kevin Shattenkirk, getting a partial break, but Ullmark got his right arm on the shot. Nashville led in shots on goal 13-6.

Third Period

Right off the bat, Ryan O’Reilly had another great chance of a centering feed going to the net, and Ullmark stretched out to make a pad save. After a bad defensive zone turnover set up a chance for Josi to walk off the boards, Ullmark snared it with his glove. The Bruins had a flurry of chances in the middle of the period but couldn’t find the back of the net. The same occurred for the Predators on the following couple of shifts, but they also came up empty.

Just past the period’s midway point, Mason Lohrei was called for a stick infraction, resulting in Nashville’s fourth power play, but the Bruins broke the scoreless tie. Charlie Coyle made it 1-0 on a shorthanded breakaway goal, beating Saro’s top shelf, which was set up by a great Brad Marchand drop pass. Ullmark was also credited for an assist on the goal.

The Black and Gold extended their lead to 2-0 after a tremendous rush started by Pastrnak, who hit Heinen down low and left a drop pass off for Pavel Zacha for the finish. The game was then sealed with 1:24 left on a Pastrnak empty netter from the neutral zone to make it 3-0, and that was the final score.

Up Next

Next, the Bruins will wrap up their six-game road trip against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on Thursday night. The puck drop will be at 7:00 p.m., which will undoubtedly be a huge test for the Bruins. It will be the second of three meetings between the two teams this season. Carolina won the first game 3-2.