Tommy Novak extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:55 of the second period after rebounding a backhand attempt on Evangelista’s net. The goal came just after a four-minute power play expired for Nashville.

Gustav Nyquist pushed the score to 3-0 at the 12:47 mark of the third period on a 2-on-1 rush with Filip Forsberg after a pass from O’Reilly.

“It looked a lot better,” Nyquist said. “There are of course still things we can be better at, but in any case it is a very big step in the right direction. But again, we have to keep building. Obviously this is just one game. We dug a little hole here in the beginning, so we’ll start working on it again on Friday.”

Evangelista scored an empty net goal at 13:56 for the 4-0 final.

“Just to keep working,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said after the game about his message to the team. “We cannot beat ourselves. It’s a long season. We have to keep grinding. We have to get better and better every day.”

NOTES: Bruins forward Max Jones entered the lineup in place of Justin Brazeau. Jones finished with two minor penalties and zero shots on goal in 11:14 of ice time. … Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux made his NHL debut. L’Heureux, a first-round pick (No. 27) in the 2021 NHL Draft, finished with one shot on goal in 9:59 of ice time.