Predators Down Red Wings in OT to Pull Even in Standings

The Nashville Predators scored twice in the game’s final 3:15, bouncing back to earn an overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Nashville’s gaining of a point on Detroit pulls the two teams even atop the Western Conference standings.

With 1:04 remaining in regulation and the Nashville net empty, Paul Kariya deflected a long shot by Dan Hamhuis past Detroit goalie Chris Osgood to tie the game.

Kariya threaded a pass from the right circle through the legs of defender Niklas Kronwall to Peter Forsberg to tap in the game-winning goal from the edge of the crease at 2:11 of the overtime period.

The former Duck also scored Nashville’s first goal with 1:54 remaining in the first period, slipping through the left circle and wristing a quick shot on net that beat Osgood to the short side.

Tomas Holmstrom scored the first of his three power play goals to pull the Red Wings even just 38 seconds into the second, banging the rebound of a Nicklas Lidstrom shot over Predators’ netminder Tomas Vokoun.

Holmstrom would put Detroit out in front 1:49 later with the Red Wings on a two-man advantage, tipping a shot by Mathieu Schneider into the net.

Detroit-area native David Legwand re-tied the game with 8:56 remaining in the middle period, taking a long pass from Marek Zidlicky at the Detroit blue line and breaking in to push a backhander past Osgood.

Holmstrom’s hat-trick goal gave the Red Wings a short-lived late-game lead. After being cross-checked from behind at the front of the crease, Holmstrom got up just in time to pick the puck up as it bounced off the back boards and stuff it home with 5:08 remaining.

The Predators were held off the board on three power play chances while Holmstrom’s three power play goals on seven Detroit tries weren’t enough for the win.

Osgood stopped 25 of 29 shots against. Vokoun made 41 saves on 44 shots.

The Red Wings will be back in action on Tuesday when they visit Chicago in the first game of a home-and-home with the Blackhawks.