NASHVILLE, Tenn — Having enjoyed a five-day respite as part of the NHL’s break for the holidays, the Pittsburgh Penguins were wary of having a little rust after such a long layoff.

“Just the feel of the puck, the speed and the timing and everything kind of goes away quickly once you get off the ice,” Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “The timing and just being able to skate at the same time as you handle the puck, just to get it all together again, that’s the biggest challenge.”

Thankfully for Penguins, the challenge seemed to be more daunting for Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne. The All-Star netminder allowed three goals on only six shots and was chased during the first period by the Penguins, who got offense from all four lines as well as their third defensive pairing and earned a 5-2 victory at Bridgestone Arena on Friday.

“When you get offense throughout your lineup like that, it gives you a much better chance to win,” coach Mike Sullivan said of his team, still missing several key players because of injuries. “That’s what it takes, especially given the circumstances that we in right now.”

The Penguins opened the scoring only 2 minutes, 17 seconds into the first. Pushing a puck below the Predators’ left dot, forward Dominik Simon fired a pedestrian wrister on net that trickled through Rinne’s five hole. It was Simon’s third goal of the season.

It only took 2:13 for the Predators to respond. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang tried to clear a puck off his own end boards but turned it over to Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm at the right point. Ekholm swatted a one-timer on net, which Predators forward Craig Smith deflected on net. Goaltender Tristan Jarry made the initial save, and on the ensuing scramble for the rebound, Letang directed the puck into the cage with his left skate.

At 2:17 of the period, the Penguins took a 2-1 lead. Pettersson boomed a one-timer from the right point on net. Rinne made the initial save but allowed a rebound. Penguins forward Alex Galchenyuk was parked above the crease and jabbed the rebound through Rinne’s five hole for his third goal.

They took a two-goal lead only 44 seconds later. Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese streaked up the right wing and lifted a wrister on net. Rinne made the save but allowed another rebound, which Penguins forward Teddy Blueger cleaned up with a forehand shot for his fifth goal.

“Especially coming out of the (holiday) break, it’s huge just to be able jump on a team early, get that lead,” forward Bryan Rust said. “Just build momentum.”

They maintained that momentum by making it a 4-1 game at 4:38 of the second period. Weaving his way across the crease to the left circle, Penguins forward Jake Guentzel fed a pass to above the crease, where Rust was able to tap in his 14th goal easily behind a helpless Jusse Saros.

The rout was on at 18:04 of the second. After Penguins forward Jared McCann cleanly won a faceoff in Nashville’s left circle, Riikola claimed the puck at the left point, rushed up the boards and attacked the net. Saros denied his initial forehand shot but could not fend off his subsequent chance on the rebound. It was Riikola’s first goal of 2019-20 and his first score since Jan. 18 of last season.

The Predators scored their second goal at 9:18 of the third period thanks to a deflection by forward Viktor Arvidsson.

Things got quarrelsome in the third period when Malkin got into a wrestling match with Ekholm while Rust did the same with Predators defenseman Matt Irwin at 8:59 of the third period. All four players received roughing minors, and Ekholm was given an additional 10-minute misconduct.

That dust-up was not surprising to at least one of the combatants.

“Especially between the guys that it did,” Rust said. “There’s a bit of history there. They’re a team that’s got a lot of pride, and they weren’t happy with the way things went in their own building. So it should be a fun one (Saturday).”

The Penguins and Predators will square off again at 7:08 p.m. Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.

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