Goalie Juuse Saros made a franchise-record 64 saves and Mark Jankowski’s goal 5:06 into the third period gave the Nashville Predators a lead for the first time in a 5-3 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Saros, who was named to the All-Star Game, stopped 28 shots in the third period.
Filip Forsberg, Mattias Ekholm, Cody Glass and Colton Sissons also scored for the Predators, who have a four-game point streak. Juuso Parssinen notched two assists.
Paul Stastny, Brady Skjei and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes, who dominated most of the game but never had more than a one-goal lead. Brett Pesce had two assists.
Pyotr Kochetkov, who was in the net for the first time in the last four home games, made 20 saves for Carolina.
Stastny’s second goal of the season came at 7:41 of the first period on a power play. The puck skipped off a Nashville player’s skate and clipped Stastny before ending up in the net.
The Predators pulled even on their first power play when Forsberg converted on a shot alone from the right side. His team-leading 15th goal came 10:29 into the game.
Forsberg has six goals in a five-game stretch.
Skjei scored on a nice feed from fellow defenseman Pesce in a 4-on-4 situation 35 seconds into the second period. But the Predators bounced right back with Ekholm drifting to a spot where he had a clear shot after a face-off, pulling Nashville even again.
Staal’s goal came after the Hurricanes collected the puck in the neutral zone. Staal had a mini-breakaway and converted for his 11th goal this season at 9:54 of the second.
Yet the Predators tied it again just 2:01 later, with Glass’ goal coming on the team’s 12th shot on goal. Carolina had 31 shots at the time.
It was the season debut for left winger Max Pacioretty, who joined the Hurricanes in the offseason in a trade from Vegas. He suffered an Achilles injury and needed surgery in August.
–Field Level Media
