Predators 5, Stars 4
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Most Nashville games are low-scoring contests based around goaltending and defense.
Not Monday night, when the Predators and Dallas swapped defensive errors and brilliant offensive sequences before Roman Josi's second goal of the game 28 seconds into overtime gave the Predators a 5-4 triumph over the Stars.
Josi's slapper from just inside the blue line eluded goalie Cristopher Nilstorp, enabling Nashville (9-6-5) to rally from a two-goal deficit and win for just the second time in six games.
Josi also had two assists, including one on Mike Fisher's game-tying goal 8:22 into the third period.
After Nashville scored the lone goal of the first period, when Craig Smith converted Rich Clune's perfect pass into the slot for his second tally of the year, the Stars (9-9-1) exploited a series of defensive gaffes during a four-goal explosion in an 8:01 span of the second period.
Matt Fraser started the onslaught with a wrister from the left faceoff circle at 1:20, followed by Reilly Smith's deflection of Michael Ryder's shot 25 seconds later. That goal so infuriated Predators goalkeeper Pekka Rinne that he flung his stick into the boards behind the net.
Perhaps as displeased as Rinne, Nashville coach Barry Trotz took his timeout following Smith's tally. It gave the Preds a jolt as Josi's slapper from the blue line eluded Nilstorp for the equalizer at 3:05.
But Dallas potted power play goals less than two minutes apart, inspiring rare booing from the 23rd straight sellout crowd at Bridgestone Arena. Vernon Fiddler, who started his career with Nashville, zipped his first goal of the year past Rinne at 7:29, and Loui Erikkson scored off Ryder's third assist at 9:21.
It was the 10th straight game in which the Stars have scored at least three goals, the longest current streak in the NHL and the first time they've done so since the 2001-02 season.
Patric Hornqvist pulled the Predators within 4-3 at 13:43 with a backhander from the doorstep on the power play.
Notes: Nashville center Paul Gaustad (upper-body injury) sat out his second straight game and hopes to be ready for the start of the Predators' three-game California road trip that starts Wednesday night in Anaheim. Teammate Hal Gill (lower-body injury) was also scratched and his status for the road trip isn't known ... Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen, who was 7-2-1 with a 2.12 goals-against average before suffering a lower body injury, remains on his team's lengthy injured reserve list, which also includes veteran forward Ray Whitney (foot) ... With last week's firing of Lindy Ruff by Buffalo, Trotz is now the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL at 1,085 games. In North America's major sports, only Gregg Popovich of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs has coached his team longer.
