The Nashville Predators will try to make it three wins in a row on Sunday night when they host the Dallas Stars in the second half of a back-to-back for both Central Division teams.
Nashville snapped a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) by grinding out a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. The Predators followed that up with a 5-4 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
Ryan O’Reilly had two goals and an assist and also scored during a nine-round shootout for Nashville, which won despite being outshot, 26-6, over the final two periods in regulation. Juuse Saros finished with 36 saves.
“It wasn’t necessarily the greatest game maybe, but we played a really good team and found a way to win,” said Filip Forsberg, who had a goal and an assist.
Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the deciding goal in the ninth round of the shootout with a wrist shot past Darcy Kuemper. Saros then blocked Joel Armia’s attempt to secure the win for the Predators.
“It wasn’t our best game,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I don’t think we were as clean as we’ve been at other times but we hung in there. This league’s a hard league to win in, and there was a never-quit attitude all through the game.”
Brunette said finding a way to pick up points when not playing at your best will be a key to making the playoffs.
“Especially in a season like this … because of the condensed schedule,” Brunette said. “You’re not going to have your ‘A’ game every night. We’ve played a lot of hockey here, and it continues (Sunday) night, and we play basically every second day. Throw in a couple of back-to-backs and that’s a lot. So if you can get something out of games when you’re not your best … that will really help you as the season goes on.”
Dallas comes in off a 3-2 victory over Carolina, snapping a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) in the process. The Stars trailed 2-0 after the first period but rallied behind a pair of goals by defenseman Miro Heiskanen, including the eventual winner on a 4-on-3 power play at the 11:18 mark of the third period.
“We reset after the first period and said, ‘Listen, we’ve got a 40-minute game here to work ourselves back in,” Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I think the guys did a really good job of regrouping and pushing back.”
Heiskanen’s game-winning goal came on a shot from the left circle that caromed in off the glove of Carolina defenseman Mike Reilly as he was sliding on the ice trying to block the shot.
“We know that we can beat anyone in this league if we play at our best, and I think the last 40 minutes were really good,” Heiskanen said. “We have to keep doing that.”
Heiskanen’s power-play goal came a little over a minute after Carolina’s Taylor Hall was called for a charging penalty on Roope Hintz. Hintz, who has scored 28 or more goals in each of the last four seasons, left the game and didn’t return.
“We’ll see where Roope is,” Gulutzan said. “I haven’t talked to him, and he’s still being evaluated.”
