NASHVILLE — Roman Josi scored his second goal 28 seconds into overtime, and the Nashville Predators edged the Dallas Stars 5-4 Monday night in a wild game featuring several fights, six goals and a bloodied face —all in the second period.
Josi’s slap shot helped Nashville end a two-game skid, and the defenseman also had two assists as the Predators played their 10th overtime game this season.Dallas rookie Matt Fraser and Reilly Smith scored 25 seconds apart within the first two minutes of the second, and Vern Fiddler and Eriksson each added a power-play goal as the Stars matched their season high within the first 9:21 of the period. Michael Ryder had three assists.Dallas had scored at least three goals the previous nine straight games, and the Stars took a 2-1 lead as the Fraser scored his first career goal on a slap shot from the left circle at 1:20. Then Reilly Smith tipped the puck over goalie Pekka Rinne’s left leg at 1:45 for a 2-1 lead.Mike Fisher, Craig Smith and Patric Hornqvist each scored goals for Nashville. The Predators’ last two losses had been shutouts, and they ended a scoring drought at 133:43 after threatening the franchise-worst drought that reached 176:18 on Feb. 13 in an overtime win over San Jose.Fisher tied it at 8:22 of the third when he got the puck as he skated into the Nashville zone, split a pair of Stars and beat Cristopher Nilstorp with a backhander. Nashville wound up outshooting the Stars 31-24, including 11-4 in the third.Smith ended Nashville’s scoring drought when he snapped a shot from in front in a relatively quiet first period.The action cranked up in the second with six goals combined, fights, and a high stick by a teammate cutting Shea Weber’s face near his nose and drawing blood. The blow dropped Weber to the ice, and he lost his stick. But he wound up checking Stars forward Matt Fraser at the boards before heading to the bench.Nashville coach Barry Trotz immediately took his timeout, and the Predators responded when Josi tied it at 2 with his slap shot near the blue line at 3:05.The Predators were trying to kill a holding penalty on Martin Erat when the Stars drew a delayed penalty off a high-sticking by Fisher, and Fiddler, coming on as the extra attacker, scored on a slap shot at 7:29 to put the Stars up 3-2.With Fisher drawing a double minor, the Stars’ man advantage continued, and Loui Erikkson scored with the puck redirected past Rinne by Josi at 9:21.The Predators trimmed the lead when they got 1:21 of a 5-on-3 after Eric Nystrom went to the box for fighting with a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Then Fiddler got his own double minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and roughing. Nashville had only two seconds left when Hornqivst lifted a backhander over Nilstorp at 13:43 to pull the Predators within 4-3.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
