Each day through May 26, TheGameNashville.com will post the Top 10 moments of the Nashville Predators’ 2015-16 season. We encourage your feedback. Feel free to tweet us your reaction to @1025thegame.
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Admittedly, we’re cheating right out the gate by using two moments as one but, trust us, they go together.
Ryan Johansen didn’t waste any time making his impact felt. On January 8 in Denver, Colorado, the former Columbus Blue Jacket scored on his first shot — just 2:35 into his first game — as a Nashville Predator. Despite the Preds losing 5-3, Johansen registered a goal, an assist, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in his debut.
“I think that first goal I scored was pretty cool,” Johansen said after the season. “That was special for my family mostly. Just calling them after the game and hearing in their voice how proud they were. You never know how a new start is going to be. You always want to get off on the right foot.”
Almost a month after the trade that brought him to Music City, Johansen finally potted a goal on home ice. It took longer than you’d expect due to an abnormal amount of road games in the month of January thanks to the League taking over Bridgestone Arena in preparation of All-Star Weekend. On February 4, however, the Philadelphia Flyers were in town and Johansen victimized goaltender Steve Mason in the second period to put Nashville on the board. But it wasn’t the goal itself that was memorable. It was the college basketball-esque celebration as he came around the corner that had Preds fans talking.
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