In his return to New Jersey, new Nashville Predators coach John Hynes got more than just satisfaction against his former team. The Predators secured a wild 6-5 shootout victory over the Devils on Thursday, marking their second consecutive gritty win in as many nights and inching them closer to a playoff spot.
“It’s a big win,” said Hynes, whose Predators also rallied in the third period to defeat Washington on Wednesday. “A couple of key accomplishments: winning back-to-back games was a big effort, and we found a way.”
Nashville rallied twice in the third period to force overtime, with Filip Forsberg scoring his second goal of the game to tie it at 5. Forsberg and Matt Duchene also scored in the shootout to secure the win.
Forsberg has been impressed with the Predators’ determination over the past two games.
“We know the situation we’re in, and we need to string as many wins together as possible while sticking to the identity that we know can be successful,” he said. “We’re doing that in parts of games and could do it even better.”
Pekka Rinne made 27 saves, including stops on Jack Hughes and Kyle Palmieri in the shootout, to seal the victory. Mattias Ekholm, Nick Bonino, and Duchene also scored for Nashville, now 7-0-3 in its last 10 games against New Jersey.
Pavel Zacha scored twice, while Nikita Gusev, Jesper Bratt, and John Hayden added goals for the Devils. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 shots, including seven in overtime.
“No excuses. I have to try to be better,” Blackwood said. “Maybe we don’t go to overtime if I make one extra save. It was one of those games that just didn’t go our way.”
Hynes, who the Devils fired on Dec. 3 after a 9-13-4 start in his fifth season, led New Jersey to the playoffs once during his tenure. Since taking over the Predators earlier this month, his new team is 5-4 under his leadership.
Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine, who served as an assistant under Hynes, admitted he had been looking forward to the game all day.
“After the national anthem and the puck drop, we looked at each other, and that was it from there,” Nasreddine said. “You just try to focus on the game and what you have to do to help your team win.”
The game featured a flurry of goals, many of which were tipped or deflected by defenders, making it challenging for both goaltenders.
“It definitely was a weird game in terms of momentum and flow, but that happens,” Nasreddine said. “It’s unfortunate we came up on the wrong side.”
The Predators took a 2-1 lead after the first period with goals from Ekholm and Forsberg, countered by a short-handed tally from Zacha. Power-play goals from Zacha and Gusev helped New Jersey take a 4-3 lead into the third period.
Nashville twice tied the game in the final period, with Duchene and Forsberg scoring around a rare goal from Hayden.
Game Notes:
- Zacha entered the game with three goals in 45 games. His three-point night was his second of the season.
- Forsberg leads the Predators with 18 goals.
- The win marked the 1,507th regular-season and playoff victory for David Poile, the most by an NHL general manager.
UP NEXT:
- Predators: Return home to face Vegas on Saturday night.
- Devils: Stay home to host Dallas on Saturday. There will be a pre-game ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of New Jersey’s second Stanley Cup title, which they won by defeating the defending champion Stars in six games in 2000.
