Blake Coleman scored in his team debut, and the Minnesota Wild held on for a 3-1 win over the host Nashville Predators on Thursday evening.
Nick Foligno and Kirill Kaprizov also scored for Minnesota, which never trailed in its regular-season opener. Quinn Hughes logged a team-high 27:30 of ice time and tallied an assist.
Roman Josi scored the lone goal for Nashville. Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos had one assist apiece.
Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt stopped 19 of 20 shots to earn the victory. He is expected to earn the bulk of playing time as fellow netminder Filip Gustavsson is sidelined by an injury.
Predators goaltender Juuse Saros allowed three goals on 30 shots.
The Wild opened the scoring with 10:25 remaining in the first period. Michael McCarron fired a shot that Saros stopped, but a big rebound kicked out to Foligno in the slot.
Foligno took advantage with a wrist shot that beat Saros before he could recover.
About four minutes later, Minnesota made it 2-0 on the power play. Bobby Brink slid a pass toward the front of the crease for Coleman, who shifted the puck from his backhand to his forehand and punched a shot into the net.
The play marked a highlight in the team debut for Coleman, who joined the Wild during the offseason after spending the previous five seasons with the Calgary Flames.
Nashville cut the deficit to 2-1 with 10:37 to go in the second period. Josi set up in the right circle and blasted a one-timer past Wallstedt to bring the home crowd to its feet.
Hughes orchestrated a goal that put the Wild ahead 3-1 with 15:18 remaining in the third period. Hughes handled the puck near the blue line and snapped a wrist shot, which Kaprizov redirected past Saros and into the back of the net.
–Field Level Media
