Pro Sports

Josi, Saros lead Predators to 5-2 win over Rangers

Posted December 17, 2019 6:00 am

By VIN A. CHERWOO

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Coming off back-to-back losses, the Nashville Predators came through with a strong defensive effort and some timely goals to get a needed win.

Roman Josi had two goals and an assist, Juuse Saros stopped 39 shots, and the Predators beat the New York Rangers 5-2 Monday night.

Rocco Grimaldi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis also scored to help the Predators win for the third time in five games.

'œWe did a bit of soul-searching and tonight was a good step in the right direction,'ť Ellis said. 'œWe need to continue that. ... It was just a complete game.'ť

Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin scored, and Alexandar Georgiev made 19 saves for the Rangers, losers of three of their last five (2-2-1).

'œThey're a good hockey team," said the Rangers' Mika Zibanejad, who had two assists. 'œYou can't really give them anything. They take advantage of that and that's what they did today.'ť

The Rangers went 0 for 4 on the power play, with Saros stopping all 11 shots during the man advantages.

'œWe had to defend a lot, so we did some good things out there,'ť Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. 'œJuuse was good in net."

Nashville was outshot 15-8 in the first period and 13-7 in the second but scored twice in the middle period to take a 3-1 lead heading to the third.

With the score tied at 1 after 20 minutes, Panarin nearly gave the Rangers the lead early in the second period. His shot hit a goalpost, and the spinning puck dropped on the goal line but didn't cross it. The no-goal was confirmed by a review.

Panarin also had a shot hit the left post about seven minutes into the middle period.

'œThey had some chances - that one was dancing on our goal line - and they had some more chances,'ť Ekholm said. 'œPlaying good defense and capitalizing on our chances was huge.'ť

Josi gave the Predators their second lead. He brought the puck up the right side, skated into the right circle and fired a shot between the legs of defenseman Adam Fox and past Georgiev for his eighth with 9:44 remaining in the period.

Just after a cross-checking penalty expired on Ekholm, the defenseman joined the play, brought the puck up the right side, skated toward the middle and beat Georgiev into the top left corner for his fifth with 3:37 left in the second.

Kyle Turris hit a goalpost for Nashville 7 1/2 minutes into the third, and Saros made a nice stop on Zibanejad's shot from the right side midway through the period to keep it a two-goal game.

Panarin pulled the Rangers within one as he got a pass from Zibanejad and fired it past Saros for his 20th with 2:42 left.

However, Josi sealed it with an empty-netter 53 seconds later for his second of the night and ninth of the season. Ellis added another empty-netter in the closing seconds.

'œOur overall effort was huge,'ť Ekholm said. "We've got to step it up and this was a real big step for us."

Grimaldi got the Predators on the scoreboard first. On a rush with Josi, Grimaldi brought the puck up the left side, went toward the middle and fired a shot that went off the shin of Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei and trickled past Georgiev for his fourth with 9:24 left in the opening period.

The Rangers tied it just 34 seconds later when Zibanejad brought the puck up the middle off a turnover, crossed the blue line and passed left to Kreider, who quickly beat Saros for his eighth.

Skjei had a chance to get the Rangers the lead with about five minutes left, but his attempts in front where stopped by Saros. New York was also stopped on several tries in front about 90 seconds later.

NOTES: Zibanejad has five points (four goals, one assist) in a three-game point streak. ... Kreider has two goals and three assists in his last five games. ... Panarin snapped a four-game point streak in which he had six goals and two assists. ... Predators F Victor Arvidsson, recovering from a lower body injury sustained on Nov 23, skated with the team and could be ready to return by the end of the four-game trip. ... Grimaldi has three goals and six points in his last 10 games. ... Josi got his first goals since he had two against Chicago on Nov. 16.

UP NEXT

Predators: At the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Rangers: Host Toronto on Friday night,

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Follow Vin Cherwoo at www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP

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More AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL and https://www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

From left, Nashville Predators center Colton Sissons (10) left wing Austin Watson (51), center Nick Bonino (13), defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) and defenseman Roman Josi (59) celebrate after Josi scored an empty net goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) watch as Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks a shot by New York Rangers right wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) as Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) controls the puck in front of New York Rangers center Greg McKegg (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) looks for a shot as New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) controls the puck around New York Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators left wing Austin Watson (51) skates through three Rangers defenders, inclulding New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20), Rangers right wing Jesper Fast (17) and Rangers defenseman Marc Staal (18) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Teammates congratulate New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) after he scored a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) watches as the puck goes into the net for a goal as Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei (76) sends Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) flying during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The goal was scored by Nashville Predators right wing Rocco Grimaldi, not shown. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators center Colton Sissons (10) and Nashville Predators center Nick Bonino (13) celebrate after Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm, not shown, scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Rangers right wing Jesper Fast (17) watches from the ice as Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris (8) and Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) try to keep the puck from Rangers center Greg McKegg (14) in front of Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74)during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators left wing Austin Watson (51) defends against a pass by New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Rangers center Ryan Strome (16) takes a shot on Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2019, in New York. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

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