Entering the penultimate preseason affair, the Predators still had plenty of questions left to answer. Primarily a roster-based conundrum. Nashville was looking to its young players to step up. With a week left until opening day, the organization needs to cut down 10 more players by next Monday. A Thursday night clash with the reigning Stanley Cup-winning Hurricanes offered a perfect stage to audition for the team's finalized roster

The game slipped away from Nashville despite a fiery start. A 5-1 lead in the second period was too thin a cushion. The momentum ultimately swung into Carolina's favor, backed by an energetic crowd. Three goals in each of the final two periods were just enough for Carolina to scrape by. Felix Unger Sorum netted the game-winner with three seconds left in regulation, giving Carolina its first lead of the game and a 6-5 victory.

While there may be three periods in hockey, it was truly a tale of two halves. After Jack Drury put the Predators ahead by four points, Nashville got complacent before turning frantic in protecting its lead. The deflating loss shows exactly what the preseason is about and why the reps are so crucial to a team like Nashville.

Nashville attempted to fast-track a rebuild, and against the Hurricanes it called upon its fresh faces as well as vets who are eager for a reemergence. The opportunity allowed the eager players to expend all of their energy early, but a lackluster close to the game raises questions about the ability to maintain a lead.

Several players were vying for a limited number of roster spots, and that was evident at the start of the contest. After sitting the first two games of the preseason, Vitali Pinchuk made a positive first impression. In the first shift of his Nashville debut, Pinchuk netted the first goal of the game.

Pinchuk was followed by scores from Cole O'Hara (power-play) and Jonathan Marchessault, with Pinchuk also assisting on the latter. Nashville seemed poised to coast to a blowout win. However, Logan Stankoven hit the Predators with a wake-up call a minute into the second frame. The first of what would be a two-goal night for Stankoven.

The two sides each tallied another pair of goals by the end of the middle frame. Adam Edstrom and Drury added to the Predators' lead, answered by Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Juha Jaaska cutting into the deficit.

Nashville boasted a two-goal advantage in the third period, but the Predators had run out of gas. Even after a Juuso Valimaki goal to narrow the lead to one, it felt as if they would still escape the late surge. With the Hurricanes emptying their own net and a desperate charge from Stankoven, Carolina tied the score, opening the window for Unger Sorum's heroics.

Blowing a four-goal lead is a tough pill to swallow regardless of the circumstances. Thankfully, it's still preseason, and it's better to learn this lesson now rather than in a week when it counts against your record.

Justus Annunen was a force in the early stages of the loss, but each goal wounded his shield. As the Predators let their foot off the gas, the Hurricanes' attack became more ferocious. It's evident that the team cannot let it get to that point. Nashville showcased the capability to build a lead and start out strong, but more important is how you finish it. The lack of experience was on display in the loss and will likely play a role in determining the team's next wave of cuts.

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