Tommy Novak capped his three-point night with the game-winning goal — his second in the match — 1:12 into overtime as the Nashville Predators earned a 5-4 win over the host Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.
After Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros (33 saves) stopped a two-on-one Anaheim rush, Novak connected on his club’s second two-on-zero breakaway in the overtime session.
The top-line center took a pass from Philip Tomasino, who had a goal and an assist, and buried his 12th marker.
In sweeping the three-game season series from Anaheim, the Predators beat the club for the sixth straight time and finished 4-1-1 on their road trip that started in South Florida on March 2.
Roman Josi handed out two assists to reach 600 career points and Colton Sissons dished two helpers.
Anaheim opened its eight-game homestand by getting two goals from rookie Mason McTavish and one each from Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry. Cam Fowler had three assists while goalie John Gibson made 31 saves.
The Predators capitalized on their first man advantage after the home side was charged with a bench minor for too many men on the ice. They then made it 2-0 at even strength.
With the second power-play unit on, Tomasino rang his third goal off the far post on a wrister from the left circle at 9:01 of the first period. Novak tallied for the second straight night from the high slot at 13:40.
But Anaheim’s McTavish scored after being set up by a strong effort by Max Jones at 15:44.
At 4:46 of the second, Vatrano tied it with a wicked snipe over Saros from the left dot — his 16th time hitting the net.
Early in the third, Kiefer Sherwood put Nashville up by skating behind Gibson, having his pass deflected by Nathan Beaulieu and seeing the puck bank in off the goalie’s back at 1:47.
The tally — his second — was Sherwood’s first since the team’s season-opening 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in Prague on Oct. 7.
Yakov Trenin’s 10th goal gave Nashville its second two-goal lead, but with Gibson off the ice for the extra skater, Terry netted his 19th with 2:21 remaining.
Gibson went to the bench again, and McTavish’s second goal — his 16th this season — evened the game with 26 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
–Field Level Media
