Josi scores OT winner to lead Predators to 5-4 victory over Vegas, extends streak to 16-0-2
Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) celebrates his game winning goal at the end of overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Predators won 5-4. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Roman Josi scored 40 seconds into overtime to lead the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, and extend the team’s stretch of consecutive games unbeaten in regulation to a franchise-record 18.
Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist each had a goal and an assist and Mark Jankowski also scored for Nashville, which last lost a game in regulation on Feb. 15 and is 16-0-2 since.
Juuse Saros made 31 saves as the Predators overcame a 3-0 deficit.
“It was a fun game to be a part of,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “It probably aged you a little bit, but it was fun.”
William Karlsson scored a goal and assisted on another, Ivan Barbashev, Brett Howden and Shea Theodore also scored and Jiri Patera made 30 saves for Vegas, which had won three in a row. Anthony Mantha had two assists.
Josi skated in from the right side before slipping the puck past Patera for the winner.
“Obviously, you don’t want to be down 3-0, but we stayed positive,” Josi said. “We’re at a point now where we can trust our game, that we have a chance to come back.”
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jiri Patera (30) deflects a shot on goal by Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
The teams entered Tuesday in the Western Conference’s top two positions for the wild card.
The Knights took a 3-0 first-period lead. Barbashev scored the 100th goal of his career at 2:45 of the opening period, converting on a one-timer off of a two-on-one rush with Jack Eichel for a 1-0 lead.
“The points are really important for us right now,” Barbashev said. “We got one of them tonight. We’ve just got to keep going forward trying to forget about this night.”
Howden followed at 5:08, collecting a loose puck in the slot and firing a wrist shot just under the crossbar. Theodore made it 3-0 with 3:17 remaining in the first with a wrist shot from the high slot.
Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith (36) skates the puck past Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
Jankowski scored with 5:27 remaining in the second, but Karlsson restored Vegas’ three-goal lead with 56.7 left in the period.
O’Reilly cut the deficit to 2 at 5:52 of the third and Forsberg cut it to one with 7:43 remaining.
The goal was Forsberg’s 40th of the season, the second time in his career that he’s reached the 40-goal mark.
Vegas challenged the goal thinking Jason Zucker was offside on the play, but after a lengthy review, it was allowed to stand.
“Obviously, the challenge didn’t help us,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We have a video team that looks at it and they were pretty certain that it was offside. It looks like it has to be offside, almost by physics, but that’s not the way they saw it. Then you’ve got to go get a penalty kill and we didn’t do that either.”
Nyquist scored on the ensuing power play that Nashville was given due to Vegas’ lost challenge.
“That’s a great character win,” Nyquist said. “We never stop. This team never stops.”
UP NEXT
Golden Knights: Visit Winnipeg Thursday night.
Predators: Visit Arizona Thursday night.
