Pro Sports

Draisaitl's 3-point game lifts Oilers past Predators 4-2

Posted January 15, 2020 6:00 am

The Associated Press

Nashville Predators' Craig Smith (15) and Edmonton Oilers' Josh Archibald (15) battle for the puck during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Edmonton has a lousy record against the Nashville Predators. Leon Draisaitl and Mike Smith helped the Oilers take a step toward changing that Tuesday night.

Draisaitl had two goals and an assist and the Oilers beat the Nashville Predators 4-2.

The Predators came into the game with a 14-1 record against Edmonton since Oct. 29, 2014. In that time, Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne had won 12 consecutive starts, but he was outplayed by Mike Smith in the Edmonton net on the night.

'œThe second half of the season, the points matter more,'ť said Smith, who made 30 saves for his fourth straight win. 'œEverything gets amplified, and as you creep towards playoffs you want to be playing your best hockey.

'œI love the second part of the season, playing big games and helping the team get big wins.'ť

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Josh Archibald also scored, and Connor McDavid picked up three assists for the Oilers, who are 5-1-1 in their last seven.

'œWe went with the mindset that we wanted to check for our success today,'ť Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said. 'œWe wanted to check hard all the way through the ice.

'œWe wanted to stay on our toes and keep moving and we checked well and it ended up in the right spot for us.'ť

Filip Forsberg and Colin Blackwell scored for Nashville, which had its two-game winning streak halted.

'œIt was a tough loss for sure,'ť Rinne said. 'œI thought it was a big game for both teams. I thought we gave it a good effort at the end and tried to get the game tied up, but it didn't happen.'ť

Nugent-Hopkins opened scoring for Edmonton nine minutes into the first period when he sent a wrist shot up high past Rinne off a face-off win. It was Nugent-Hopkins's 13th goal of the season and his sixth in seven games.

The Predators responded two minutes later on a beautiful goal by Forsberg, who came from behind the net and lifted the puck up, lacrosse style, and banked it in off Smith for his 16th of the season.

'œIt's something that I've tried a couple of times,'ť Forsberg said. 'œIt's cool that it went in, but it would have been a lot better if we would have won.'ť

Nashville took the lead with four minutes left in the opening period when they caught the Oilers on a bad line change. That allowed Nick Bonino to make a nice feed to Blackwell, who notched his second career NHL goal.

Edmonton pulled even with 18 seconds left in the first on the power play, as Draisaitl chipped in a rebound.

The Oilers surged back midway through the second period as McDavid fed it across to Archibald, who lifted it over a sprawling Rinne.

Draisaitl's goal into an empty net put the game away in the final minute. The backhander was his 27th goal of the season.

NOTES: It was the first of three meetings between the teams, who will play again on Feb. 8 at Rogers Place in Edmonton before the season series concludes in Nashville on March 2. ... The Predators have had nothing but success against the Oilers in recent years, coming into the game with a 14-1 record against Edmonton since Oct. 29, 2014. In that time, Rinne had won 12 consecutive starts. ... With Zack Kassian serving the first of a two-game suspension for an altercation with Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, Archibald moved up to Edmonton's top line with McDavid.

UP NEXT

Predators: Host Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

Oilers: Host Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.

___

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

Nashville Predators' Kyle Turris (8) and Edmonton Oilers' Kris Russell (4) battle for the puck during third period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) makes the save as Edmonton Oilers' James Neal (18) tries to screen during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators' Yannick Weber (7) and Edmonton Oilers' Kailer Yamamoto (56) battle for the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators' Alexandre Carrier (45) is tripped up as Edmonton Oilers' Joakim Nygard (10) carries the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators' Dante Fabbro (57) and Edmonton Oilers' Kailer Yamamoto (56) battle for the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg (9) and Roman Josi (59) celebrate a goal during first period NHL hockey action against the Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

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