Preds Lose Lead, Fall to Sabres in Overtime

Jack Eichel scored in overtime, and the Buffalo Sabres completed a comeback to defeat the Nashville Predators by a 5-4 final on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result snaps Nashville's three-game winning streak, but still gives them points in four straight and a 6-1-1 record in their last eight.
The Predators will certainly take the point, but it wasn't much consolation after seeing a 4-2 lead evaporate in the third period.
"It's not a good feeling," forward Filip Forsberg said. "Playing solid in the first period is great - then after that it was just kind of up and down. [To lose with a] 4-2 lead at home, it's disappointing."

While shorthanded, Forsberg scored for the second consecutive game - his sixth in his last seven games - to give the Predators the game's first goal. After Buffalo tied it in the second, Cody McLeod scored his second goal as a member of the Preds to give Nashville the lead again, but Eichel tied it once more before the middle frame was out.

Viktor Arvidsson gave the Preds the lead again with a power-play goal in the third, and James Neal added his 17th to put Nashville up by two. But late goals from Brian Gionta and Kyle Okposo lead to Eichel's game winner and Buffalo's third consecutive overtime victory.
"I think it's pretty obvious that it's frustrating, but it's good to get that point," defenseman Matt Irwin said. "But we had those two points. Right there for us to take. I think we maybe sat back on our heels a little bit, but that's an opportunity to stay on our toes and push the pace even more; stay on our toes to get that three-goal lead and that killer instinct to put the game away."

"There were a few shifts where we were stringing some good O-zone time together and there were some lapses," McLeod said. "We couldn't get the puck out of our hands, and that's what happens."
The Predators will regroup on Wednesday prior to hosting Columbus on Thursday in their final game before the NHL All-Star Weekend, and the home team would prefer to enter the break with a good feeling in tow.

"It's going to fuel the fire for sure," Irwin said. "We're going to have a good day of practice tomorrow, and we have one more game before the break and those are two points that we have to have."
"We should carry [tonight's game] with us for a little bit," Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "Take it into the next game, hopefully be irritated with the way we played."
Notes:
Forward Colin Wilson returned to the lineup on Tuesday after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. Wilson skated 17:21 and registered one shot on goal.
Filip Forsberg has scored 12 goals since Dec. 19, more than any other player in the NHL.
The Predators complete their two-game home stand on Thursday against Columbus, their final game before NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.