Roman Josi scores as Predators beat skidding Blackhawks 4-2

Updated Dec. 21, 2022 11:13 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Roman Josi and Thomas Novak scored in the third period, and the Nashville Predators handed Chicago its eighth straight loss with a 4-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Matt Duchene and Nino Niederreiter also scored as Nashville earned its second straight win since a six-game slide. Juuse Saros made 36 stops, including a terrific right pad save on Patrick Kane with about 16 minutes left.

Chicago dropped to 3-18-4 in its last 25 games. It has been outscored 35-9 during its eight-game slide, matching its longest losing streak of the season.

Connor Murphy and MacKenzie Entwistle scored for the last-place Blackhawks, and Petr Mrazek made 33 saves.

Chicago led 2-1 before Duchene scored his ninth goal with 5 seconds left in the second period. Mattias Ekholm found a streaking Duchene on the side of the net for an easy one-timer.

Nashville then went ahead to stay when Josi converted a backhand 1:27 into the third, and Novak made it 4-2 when he beat a screened Mrazek for a power-play goal at 6:09.

Chicago went 0 for 4 on the power play.

Nashville jumped in front when Niederreiter scored 9:23 into the first period, sending a shot from the high slot past Mrazek on the goaltender's glove side. It was Niederreiter's 11th goal of the season.

Nashville forward Tanner Jeannot then received a double minor for a high stick to the face of Chicago defenseman Jake McCabe. But the Blackhawks came up empty on the ensuing power play, and McCabe never returned to the game.

The Blackhawks got on the board in the second, scoring two goals in 37 seconds for their first lead since a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Dec. 3.

Murphy got one when his long slap shot went off Nashville's Cody Glass on its way to the net at 16:03. Entwistle then made it 2-1 when his shot went off the stick and right leg of Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon before fluttering past Saros on the glove side.

HE'S BACK

Nashville defenseman Ryan McDonagh was activated from injured reserve and played in his first game since he was struck in the nose on a shot by Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov on Dec. 2.

WORTH NOTING

Blackhawks defenseman Isaak Phillips played in his first NHL game this season. He was recalled from the minors on Monday when defenseman Jarred Tinordi was placed on IR with a facial fracture.

UP NEXT

Predators: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

Blackhawks: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

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Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap

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