Novak scores twice as Predators defeat Panthers 7-3

Updated Feb. 18, 2023 5:00 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tommy Novak scored twice and Roman Josi scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Nashville Predators over the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Saturday.

Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist and Matt Duchene, Colton Sissons and Yakov Trenin also scored for Nashville, which had lost three of its previous four.

Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves for the Predators and Ryan McDonagh had three assists, equaling a career high.

Nick Cousins, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight combined for 19 saves. Brandon Montour had two assists.

Both teams began Saturday on the outside of the playoff picture.

Florida trailed the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by a point while the Predators moved within five points of Minnesota in the Western Conference wild-card race. Nashville has played two fewer games than the Wild, and the teams meet Sunday in Minnesota.

The Predators led 3-2 after the first period on Johansen’s power-play goal at 15:01 off of a redirection of pass from Josi.

After Novak began the game’s scoring at 2:36 of the first, Cousins tied it at 7:55 of the first. Cousins, a former Predator, played in his 500th career NHL game.

Sissons’ breakaway goal at 7:40 of the second finished Bobrovsky, who allowed four goals on 11 shots against.

Novak’s power-play goal at 8:58 of the third gave him the first two-goal game of his career.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Nashville scored a pair of power-play goals on three chances.

Entering Saturday, Nashville’s power play had connected just once in 11 opportunities in the last four games. The Panthers have allowed five power-play goals over the last three games.

GUDAS HURT

Florida defenseman Radko Gudas exited in the second period and did not return to the game.

With the Panthers on a penalty kill to start the second, Gudas blocked a shot by Josi 1:10 into the period. He kept just one hand on his stick for the remainder of his shift, which ended 13 seconds later.

FORSBERG STILL OUT

Filip Forsberg, Nashville’s leading goal scorer, missed his third straight game. He was injured in the first period of last Saturday’s road game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Forsberg is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

WHAT’S NEXT

Predators: Visit the Minnesota Wild Sunday.

Panthers: Host the Anaheim Ducks Monday.

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