Josi scores on power play to lift Preds over Avs 4-3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Predators goalie Pekka Rinne wasn't about to let a fellow Finn tie the game on their nation's Independence Day.
Rinne made 25 saves, including a big one on countryman Mikko Rantanen, and Roman Josi scored a power-play goal 1:04 into the third period to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
With 9:08 remaining in the third and Colorado on a power play, Rinne quickly moved right to left and made a sweeping glove save on Rantanen to preserve a one-goal lead.
''Can't let the Finn score against me,'' Rinne said with a laugh. ''I was able to get there. Sometimes you need to be a little bit fortunate. It was a big save and I was happy to make that one. For sure, that was one of the key moments of the game.''
Viktor Arvidsson, James Neal and P.K. Subban also scored for Nashville, which ended a two-game losing streak.
Matt Duchene scored twice and Nathan MacKinnon also scored for Colorado, which has lost six straight.
At the tail end of 2-minute 5-on-3 advantage, Josi took a pass from Ryan Johansen at the top of the left faceoff circle and dropped to one knee as he fired a tiebreaking one-timer by goaltender Semyon Varlamov.
Nashville was awarded the prolonged two-man advantage when both Francois Beauchemin and Cody Goloubef were whistled for minor penalties at 19:17 of the second.
''For me that was the hardest we've played, that was the best game we've played in a couple of weeks,'' Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. ''We had some chances to square that game up, and it was a tough way to fall behind on the 5-on-3 so we've just got to keep sticking with it.''
Arvidsson scored the game's first goal at 10:08 of the opening period.
Arvidsson blocked a shot attempt by Goloubef at the right point and went the other way on a breakaway. Carrying the puck down the center of the ice, Arvidsson fired a wrist shot from the low slot that beat Varlamov on the stick side.
MacKinnon tied it two minutes later.
Rene Bourque forced a turnover by Nashville's Calle Jarnkrok below the goal line and found MacKinnon unchecked in front of the Nashville goal, where he beat Rinne low to the glove side.
Nashville regained the lead with 1:34 left in the first on Neal's 11th.
Colin Wilson found Neal in the lower part of the right circle. From the tough angle, Neal lifted the puck over Varlamov's shoulder and under the crossbar on the near side.
Neal returned to the Nashville lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury.
''He doesn't need a lot of room and he doesn't need a lot of space and that's a perfect example of it,'' Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. ''What was really good about having James back there is it just provided the good balance in our lines.''
The win was Laviolette's 100th with the Predators.
Duchene scored a pair of power-play goals in the second period, the first coming at 3:46 to tie it at 2 and again at 13:56 to tie it at 3.
''We've been a little disjointed on the power play this year at times,'' Duchene said. ''We'll not have any flow, any flow, and then we'll kind of get a funny one that goes in. Tonight was different. Tonight we set it up.''
Entering Tuesday, the slumping Avalanche had scored just one goal on the man-advantage in their last six games.
Nashville killed 1:33 of power-play time at the end of the third after Johansen was whistled for high sticking at 18:27. Colorado pulled Varlamov for an extra attacker, giving them a 6-on-4 advantage. Rinne made two saves as time expired to preserve the victory.
NOTES: Varlamov finished with 28 saves. ... Boston Red Sox outfielder and Nashville native Mookie Betts attended the game. ... Nashville has won all three meetings with the Avalanche this season. ... Duchene has three two-goal games this season.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: At Boston on Thursday night.
Predators: Travel to Dallas Thursday night.
