In Nashville, the Predators fell behind on a goal by Victor Hedman in the first period and the reeled off three straight goals to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday night, 3-2.
Ryan Johansen had a goal and two points on the night and Kyle Turris and Filip Forsberg added markers for the Preds.
“I think for a fan, tonight’s game was awesome,” Johansen said. “They got to see two of the top teams in the League right now going toe-to-toe. We did a lot of good things, they did good things and ultimately we found a way to get the win done. That’s definitely a good accomplishment beating those guys twice in a year.”
Pekka Rinne made 29 saves to pick up the win.
“We have 82 games during the year and some of them won’t be as special, but as soon as there’s one of those games where it’s 1 versus 2 and we’re playing a really good opponent, I feel like everyone is bringing their ‘A game,'” Mattias Ekholm said. “We really played a good game. We really played hard.”
Nashville improved to 15-5-1.
“In the first 15 minutes of the second period, I think we were playing really, really good hockey against a really good team,” Forsberg said. “We could’ve scored a couple more goals. They had a couple of great saves there. I think that’s how we’ve got to play.”
Nikita Kucherov scored early n the third period to make it tight but that was as much as the Lightning could generate.
“It was two different games,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “They dictated the pace in the first half, we dictated in the second half. We both scored three, one was called back. That was ultimately the difference in the game.”
[WATCH: All Lightning vs. Predators highlights]
Louis Domingue made 31 saves in taking the loss for the Bolts.
“Your goaltender has to give you a chance to win, and that’s what he did. We’re pressing there, they get the breakaway and he stopped it. He gave us the chance. I mean, I didn’t even see Forsberg’s [goal]. That thing was in and out. I don’t know too many people who are stopping that one,” Cooper said of Domingue.
You must be logged in to post a comment.