NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists as the Nashville Predators closed their disappointing season with a 5-1 victory over the playoff-bound Dallas Stars.
Jordan Oesterle and Jonathan Marchessault each had a goal and an assist, and Jakub Vrana and Justin Barron also scored for Nashville. Juuse Saros made 29 saves, and Filip Forsberg had two assists.
Mason Marchment scored and Jake Oettinger made 17 saves in the first two periods for the Stars, who concluded the regular season on an 0-5-2 slide after not losing more than two straight this season prior to the current stretch. Oettinger was replaced by Casey DeSmith to start the third. DeSmith made 12 saves.
While a seven-game losing streak heading into the post-season is bad enough, things got worse for the Stars as star winger Jason Robertson left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury and did not return.
Robertson collided with Nashville forward Michael McCarron before heading to the bench, wincing in pain. Emma Lingen, the Predators reporter for The Hockey News, reported that Robertson left Bridgestone Arena with a brace on his right knee.
“The purpose of resting people down the stretch was to hopefully avoid injury,” Stars head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters after the game, according to the team’s reporter for NHL.com, Mike Heika. “Unfortunately we didn’t do that with the Roberston injury. So, tough night.”
The Stars will face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
– With files from Sportsnet Staff
