O’Reilly Criticizes Himself After Predators' Loss
Nashville Predators veteran Ryan O’Reilly took full responsibility for the team’s 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Despite scoring the lone goal for Nashville, O’Reilly was blunt about his disappointing performance, as the defeat left the Predators at 5-7-4.
"I’m turning the puck over everywhere, can’t make a six-foot pass to save my life," O’Reilly admitted. "We’re not going to have much success if I’m playing pathetic like that. I’ve had one good year in my career. I don’t have an answer, that’s for sure."
The 34-year-old forward already boasts 309 goals and 834 points across 1,168 career games, along with a Stanley Cup win in 2019 with St. Louis. This season, he has recorded six goals and ten points in sixteen games.
O’Reilly’s frustration surfaced not just with his own play but also with the team’s struggles after a disappointing previous season, when Nashville finished third-last in the Western Conference despite high hopes following an active offseason.
"The last few games, I’ve been making mistakes left and right," O’Reilly said. "You can’t expect to win like that. There’s frustration everywhere. Guys are working hard. It falls on leadership, and we have to be the ones to fix it."
Earlier in the week, the Predators endured another setback with a controversial overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild when the net came off its moorings just before the winning goal.
Author’s Summary
Ryan O’Reilly expressed deep self-criticism after Nashville’s latest defeat, urging leadership and accountability as the Predators attempt to reverse their early-season slump.