Tootoo Scores in Nashville Return but Wings Fall to Predators in OT

Detroit forward Jordin Tootoo scored his first goal with his new team in his first visit to his original team on Tuesday night but it wasn’t enough to get the Red Wings a win, as they dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Nashville Predators.

Tootoo had played for eight seasons with the Predators before joining the Red Wings as a free agent last summer.

With 8:27 left in the third period and the Red Wings down by one and skating on a delayed penalty, Henrik Zetterberg gained the Nashville zone and gave the puck to Tootoo in the right faceoff circle. Tootoo attempted a crossing pass back to Zetterberg, with the puck deflecting off defenseman Kevin Klein’s skate and bouncing in behind Predators netminder Pekka Rinne to tie the game, 2-2.

Roman Josi put Nashville back out front with 7:06 left in the period, throwing a shot on net from the top of the left circle. It deflected off Joakim Andersson in front of Detroit goalie Jonas Gustavsson and bounced past him

Pavel Datsyuk tied things back up just 36 seconds later on an end-to-end effort. Datsyuk gained the Predators zone and skated through three defenders, then around another to put a shot through Rinne to make it 3-3.

Shea Weber gave Nashville the win 44 seconds into overtime. The Predators gained the Detroit zone three-on-three but Niklas Kronwall’s hit on Sergei Kostitsyn collected Zetterberg as well, leaving Colin Wilson open for a shot from the slot that bounced off the back boards to an open Shea Weber to put in from the side of the net past a diving Gustavsson.

Gustavsson finished the night with 16 saves on 18 shots after Jimmy Howard left the game midway through the first with what the team called an upper-body injury.

Rinne stopped 26 of 29 shots in earning the win.

The Predators had opened the scoring with a power play goal at 5:01 of the first period. Wilson skated the puck to the bottom of the right faceoff circle and sent a pass through the top of the crease to Craig Smith on far side. Smith threw it into the open side of the net for a power play goal.

Scott Hannan’s shot from the point was deflected in front by Gabriel Bourque and past Howard to make it 2-0 with 9:19 left in the period.

Howard would leave the game 41 seconds later, having stopped five of seven shots.

The Red Wings got on the board while shorthanded with 4:59 left in the first. Datsyuk stole the puck from Jonathon Blom behind the net and sent a pass to Daniel Cleary all alone in the slot. Cleary snapped a shot past Rinne to pull the Wings within a goal.

Detroit allowed one goal and scored one goal on six Nashville power play tries. They were scoreless on their own two power plays but Tootoo’s goal did come on a delayed call.

The Red Wings are next in action on Thursday when they return home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Mikael Samuelsson did not play after injuring his hand during the morning skate. Patrick Eaves took his spot in the lineup… In addition to Howard, both Niklas Kronwall and Cory Emmerton missed time in the game with injuries. Both were able to return… Though he was cleared to play, Jan Mursak was not in the lineup.