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NASHVILLE – The Nashville Predators (7-4-5) secured their first overtime victory of the season, defeating the Colorado Avalanche (9-6-2) 3-2 on the road. The win extended Nashville's winning streak to three games and gave them their second road triumph of the year.
Despite being outshot 32-25 and failing to convert on their first four power-play opportunities, the Predators' special teams came through in overtime. Steven Stamkos delivered a one-timer on the man advantage to seal the win.
Nashville opened the scoring against the run of play when Ryan O'Reilly sent Adam Edström up the right wing. Edström's initial shot went off the back boards, but O'Reilly recovered the puck on the forecheck. He and Ross Colton executed a give-and-go, and O'Reilly fired a shot off MacKenzie Blackwood's stick. Edström couldn't convert the rebound, but Colton scooped it up and beat Blackwood to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 4:01.
Colorado responded when Brock Nelson took the puck from Nick Perbix behind the net. Martin Nečas picked up the loose puck and found Jaden Schwartz in the opposite circle, who buried the equalizer past Justus Annunen at 9:11.
The Predators wasted little time reclaiming the lead. Reid Schaefer wrestled the puck free near the blue line in Colorado's zone and fired a pass to Vitali Pinchuk in front of the net. Pinchuk, without looking, flipped a backhand shot into the top shelf past Blackwood for his first career NHL goal at 14:34.
Perbix put the Avalanche on the power play with a cross-checking penalty in the final minute, but Nashville took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Annunen made 10 saves, and the Predators' defense blocked 11 shots in the period.
Nashville killed off the remainder of the power play to start the second period, but Colorado found the equalizer within the first five minutes. Nick Juulsen, from behind the Avalanche goal, found Logan O'Connor on Colorado's defensive blue line. O'Connor one-timed a pass to release Parker Kelly for a two-on-one with Fedor Svechkov. Kelly chose to shoot and beat Annunen on the near side to tie the game 2-2 at 5:08.
The Avalanche maintained pressure after Pinchuk hooked Nelson at 7:22, but Nashville's penalty kill continued its strong play, blocking two shots to preserve the tie.
The Predators had scored four power-play goals in the first meeting with Colorado but couldn't convert on their first extra-man opportunity when Brent Burns held Edström at 15:47. Nashville's first unit generated multiple chances and held the zone well, but Blackwood stood tall, sending the teams into the second intermission tied 2-2.
Brett Kulak put the Predators back on the power play after tripping Jack Drury in the first two minutes of the third period. Nashville struggled to gain the offensive zone and couldn't capitalize. Kulak gave Nashville a third power-play chance by high-sticking Pinchuk, drawing blood and receiving a double-minor.
The Predators generated one Stamkos slap shot in the first two minutes but lost the advantage with a too-many-men infraction, making it four-on-four at 6:18.
Blackwood made the save of the night on Adam Wilsby's close-range shot at 12:36. Annunen matched him by stopping Artturi Lehkonen's chance on a two-on-one at 11:43, as both goaltenders stood tall during the four-on-four.
Nashville and Colorado headed to overtime after the Predators blocked 24 shots and Annunen made 28 saves. Both teams went 0-for-4 and 0-for-3 on the power play, respectively, and the sides went the final 35 minutes of regulation without scoring after combining for four goals in the first 25.
The Predators' veterans Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and Roman Josi managed a long shift to open overtime and survived a Devon Toews shot off the post. Toews then hooked Stamkos on the other end, giving Nashville a four-on-three power play. The Predators won the ensuing faceoff, and it took only 12 seconds for Josi to find Stamkos for the one-timer game-winner.
The Predators return to Bridgestone Arena on Saturday for an afternoon matchup against the St. Louis Blues.