Predators rally to beat Blackhawks 3-2 in shootout
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — If there's one thing Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne loves, it's playing in a shootout.
Marcel Goc scored the only goal in the shootout, and Rinne stopped Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as the Predators rallied from a 2-goal deficit after two periods to beat the Blackhawks 3-2 Saturday night.
Nashville forward Jerred Smithson said the Blackhawks outworked and outplayed the Predators through the first two periods.
“If it wasn't for Pekka there, it very easily could have been 6-nothing going into the third,” Smithson said.
Rinne wound up stopping 31 shots, and the goalie won his fifth shootout this season to improve to 16-7 for his career.
“The crowd was going crazy. It was such a good atmosphere going into overtime and the shootout,” Rinne said. “This time Goc made a big goal in the shootout, and I was able to stop those shooters. Sometimes, I don't know, you just have to trust your instincts, and I enjoy those situations.”
Goc took the first shot in the shootout for Nashville, and Rinne made it stand up by stopping Toews and gloving Kane's shot. Patrick Sharp had a last chance, but his shot went wide of the net.
Nashville captain and all-star Shea Weber and Smithson each scored less than four minutes apart in the third period. Joel Ward had 2 assists.
For the Hawks, Tomas Kopecky scored a power-play goal, and Viktor Stalberg had a goal.
The Predators have won three of the first four games in this Central Division rivalry against the team that ousted them from the playoffs in the opening round last April. The teams meet again tonight at the United Center.
The game had a playoff atmosphere with fans chanting back and forth during intermissions, and the Blackhawks appeared to be cruising to a fourth straight win.
“We had them right where we wanted them,” said Hawks coach Joel Quenneville. “Obviously, they got a little life off their goal, and the building got loud. They made a bang-bang play, and the wrong guy shot it. They had a good third period. We should have nailed it. That was a good opportunity for us.”
Rookie goaltender Corey Crawford extended his shutout streak to 126 minutes, 23 seconds by keeping the Predators off the scoreboard through the first two periods. The Blackhawks outshot Nashville 23-12 through to that point and 33-26 for the game.
Crawford said he didn't care about his shutout streak ending.
“At least we came out of this one with 1 (point),” Crawford said. “I think we could have had two there.”
Blackhawks game day
Nashville Predators at the United Center, 6 p.m.
<b>TV:</b> Channel 9
<b>Radio: </b>WGN 720-AM
<b>Game notes: </b>The Hawks had a three-game winning streak snapped Saturday when they couldn't hold a 2-0 third period lead and lost to the Predators 3-2 in a shootout in Nashville. The Hawks have won nine of their last 12 at the UC. After today the Hawks will have five days off until they play again.
<b>Season series:</b> Predators lead 1-1-2.
<b>Next: </b>Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena, 1 p.m. Saturday.