Saros makes 29 saves to lead Predators over Hurricanes 4-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Roman Josi and Ross Colton each had a goal and an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Nick Perbix scored his first goal of the season and Adam Edstrom added a goal. Filip Forsberg had two assists and Juuse Saros made 29 saves for the Predators, winners of two straight.

Jackson Blake scored and Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves for Carolina, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

The loss was the first of the season for Kochetkov, who was just the third goaltender in NHL history to win each of his first 10 games in a season.

Perbix opened the scoring with 8:28 left in the first period.

Forsberg stripped the puck from Carolina’s Sean Walker before sliding a cross-ice pass to Perbix coming down the right side, where he snapped a wrist shot past Kochetkov.

Forsberg has at least one point in five-straight games.

Josi doubled the Nashville lead at 3:29 of the second. In similar fashion to Perbix’s goal, Josi skated down the left side and Forsberg sent a cross-ice pass to him for a tap-in.

Blake made it 2-1 at 10:28 of the second.

After his initial shot was blocked by Josi, Blake corralled the rebound and lifted a backhand past Saros. The goal extended Blake’s point-scoring streak to a career-high seven games. He has three goals and six assists over that span.

Edstrom scored at 5:40 of the third. The goal was Edstrom’s sixth of the season, a career high.

Colton added an empty-net goal in the game's final minute.

Hurricanes: Vsit the New York Islanders on Thursday.

Predators: Play Thursday at Colorado.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) blocks a shot by Nashville Predators center Alexander Kerfoot (14) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks a shot by Carolina Hurricanes left wing Mark Jankowski (77) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros eyes the puck as he gloves a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Perbix (48) is congratulated by Jayden Struble (3) after Perbix scored a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Yaya Touré’s tough season as the first African coach in the Champions League has seen his Slovan Bratislava team set an unwanted record of games lost.

Slovan’s 4-0 defeat to LASK in Austria on Tuesday was the Slovak champion’s 14th straight loss in the competition’s main phase dating back to 1992.

That beat Marseille’s Champions League mark of 13 losses in a row from March 2012 until November 2020. The all-time record is still 16 in the old European Cup format by Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg.

“It’s very difficult, to be honest,” Touré, a Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2009, said after the record-setting loss to LASK. “They were more aggressive, maybe we didn’t fight enough, but sometimes you have to just respect it.”

Modern European soccer is difficult for teams from small markets like Slovakia, compared to the era when Slovan could beat Barcelona in a UEFA competition final. That was to win the European Cup-Winners’ Cup title in 1969.

Slovan’s dismal Champions League run started in October 1992, losing to AC Milan home and away in the second round. The early stages then were still a knockout format in the inaugural season of a rebrand from the European Cup.

There were eight defeats in 2024 in the inaugural league-phase format, plus four more this season.

Slovan has upcoming games hosting Real Betis and Shakhtar Donetsk to avoid sharing Jeunesse's record in the competition’s 72-season history.

After Jeunesse drew 1-1 with Liverpool in September 1973, the team lost all 16 European Cup first-round games until a 1-0 win over Danish champion Aarhus in September 1987.

Slovan also risks not being in the Champions League qualifying rounds next year for the first time in nine seasons. Touré’s team trails eight points behind unbeaten Slovakian league leader FC Dac.

“It’s not easy, but the season is long,” Touré said. “We’re fighting in multiple competitions, at the moment we’re playing every two or three days and the fatigue has accumulated with this set of players.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Slovan players leave the field after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Slovan Bratislava in Linz, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Slovan players pose ahead of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Slovan Bratislava in Linz, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Slovan's head coach Yaya Toure gives instructions to his players during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Slovan Bratislava in Linz, Austria, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)