For the first time since 2019, the Nashville Predators are opening an 82-game regular season with a win at home.

The Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena, powered by a 35-plus save performance by Juuse Saros. Ryan O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal on the power play in the third period.

"Juice [Saros] was outstanding, and gave us a chance to win the game," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I'm really proud of the group. It wasn't the smoothest water all the time, but we hung in there." 

Here are three things we saw in the season opening victory.  

Juuse Saros kept Predators close throughout

The Predators' offense struggled to get anything going through the majority of the game, but it was goaltender Saros who was able to give them a fighting chance throughout. 

Under a bit of a spotlight after a disappointing 24-25 season, Saros made 37 saves on 38 shots. In the second period, he had already faced nearly 30 shots. The goal allowed in the first period came off a play where the puck deflected off two Predator sticks before Dmitri Voronkov put it in.  

The Blue Jackets also had a goal called back at the end of the second period after it was reviewed, as Saros had been interfered with. 

The called-back goal played into what Brunette said he wanted to help Saros with in clearing out space in front of the net. He said the Predators didn't "help" Saros last season, but did in the win over Columbus. 

I never lost confidence in him [last season] and I didn't think we helped him. 
Today, we help him [Saros]; he needs to see the puck to be effective," Brunette said. "We've got to clean the porch in front of the net a little bit better. Even though we're not quite there, it was a good step in the right direction." 

While the Predators likely don't want anyone to be carrying them, Saros gave them a fighting chance the entire night, allowing them to walk away with a win. The pressure may be just what he needed to get back into form. 

"Juice [Saros] was unbelievable tonight," O'Reilly said. "He was our best player by far, especially when they [Columbus] had momentum, and he made big stops to calm it down for us." 

Predators' offense still settling in 

Nashville's offense wasn't electric, but did enough to pick up the win. 

"It was a little bit of a difficult opener. Two teams that don't play the cleanest hockey," Filip Forsberg said. "They were better for two, but I thought in the third period we played really well. We got a big power play goal and obviously dominated the rest of the match." 

It went 1-for-4 on the power play, with O'Reilly scoring the lone special teams goal on an opportunity that he really created for himself in front of the net.

He got a feed from high to low from Forsberg and backhanded it in, opening up Jet Greaves off an individual stick-handling effort. 

"The PP [power play] needed to step up and get a big goal," O'Reilly said. "We won some battles there. You could feel all the [penalty] killers moving up and I knew I had time to make a move. I tried to get it from the middle, move up and make a move in front of the net." 

Michael Bunting scored the Predators' first goal of the season, which he scored off his own rebound. Bunting's original shot was saved, bounced off two Blue Jacket players, came back to him, and he scored on the second chance. 

Playing with a handful of new players on new lines, the offense hasn't yet found its identity, let alone individual lines. The Jonathan Marchessault, Erik Haula and Bunting trio looked the best,  as they've found a bit of chemistry in the preseason. 

However, the Predators were chasing a 10-shot deficit throughout the game, with Saros having to do most of the heavy work in the first two periods. 

Brady Martin has decent debut 

While the Predators' 18-year-old center, Brady Martin, didn't record his first NHL point, he held his own on the top line with Forsberg and O'Reilly. 

Martin logged 12:44 minutes of ice time on 14 shifts, won 42% of faceoffs and had a shot block. At the same time, he was on the ice for the Voronkov goal and gave away the puck twice. 

"It was a hard game, and he's [Martin] kind of against their best players," Brunette said. "He hung in there like, he has all camp, found a way to get through it and to make a few plays. It's a great learning experience." 

It was still a good start for the fifth overall pick. He was utilized not just in the top six, but on the Predators' power play as well. Whether the Predators would like to keep him in Nashville past the nine games, Martin is still getting critical experience. 

"It's tough coming into the league as an 18-year-old with NHL players that have been here for awhile," Martin said. "I think I held my own and I'm hoping for better games to come." 

Milwaukee call-ups Joakim Kemmel and Adam Wilsby also cracked the Predators' opening night roster. Kemmel skated on the second line with Steven Stamkos and Fedor Svechkov. Wilsby was on the first pairing with Roman Josi. 

Ozzy Wiesblatt was a healthy scratch as Tyson Jost took the fourth line, right wing position. Nick Blankenburg was also a healthy scratch.