Marchessault, Predators defeat Blue Jackets in OT for 3rd straight win

NASHVILLE -- Jonathan Marchessault scored 1:44 into overtime to give the Nashville Predators their third straight win, 4-3 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Marchessault got the puck, spun around Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson, toe-dragged through the bottom of the right circle, and beat goalie Daniil Tarasov in front.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to help your team win a hockey game,” Marchessault said. “I’ve not done a lot of that right now I would say. New environment, new team, new linemates and everything. There’s a period of adjustment, but I mean right now we’re almost 10 games in. It’s time for me to step up and help my team win hockey games. Maybe tonight that’s something that can translate to my 5-on-5 game next game.”

Alexandre Carrier scored the tying goal early in the third period, Filip Forsberg also scored, and Brady Skjei had two assists for the Predators (3-5-0), who began the season 0-5-0. Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves.

“I think we’re realizing that hurts so good sort of thing,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “It’s going to be hard, but the joy is in the hurt. The joy is in the work. I thought we had joy through pain tonight.”

Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski scored for the Blue Jackets (3-3-1), who have alternated wins and losses over their first seven games. Tarasov made 29 saves.

“Sure, we were impressed (responding after giving up leads), but we were unimpressed with how we played when we had a two-goal lead,” Columbus coach Dean Evason said. “We turned the puck over constantly, gave them an opportunity to come back at us. We have to manage the game a [heck] of a lot better than we did in those situations. The game should’ve been cleaner than it was.”

Marchenko gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 3:53 of the second period on a wrist shot from the slot off a backhand pass from the corner by Adam Fantilli.

“For the most part, to be honest with you, we liked our game,” Evason said. “We liked how we played. We limited a lot of their opportunities. When we didn’t turn it over, we were a really good hockey club. When we did, we were very, very average.”

Zach Aston-Reese extended it to 2-0 at 6:42 on a wraparound pass from Mathieu Olivier.

“It was kind of a back-and-forth game,” Olivier said. “A little sloppy, I thought. But it wasn’t for a lack of effort. It was just the way the game was going. They probably had the better first period, but it was kind of swinging back and forth. We had some stretches where we were putting them under pressure, and then they kind of came back the other way. I think as a team it’s not a bad effort, per se, but you want to be more consistent throughout the game.”

Forsberg cut it to 2-1 at 10:40 of the second on a wrist shot from the right circle.

“Obviously, we had a slow start,” Marchessault said. “But at the end of the day, beginning of the season or end of the season, you’ve got to find a way to win some hockey games. I think right now we’re doing that, and that’s the positive of it.”

Cole Smith scored 26 seconds into the third period on a one-timer to tie it 2-2.

“Going into the third period down one, to get a first shift like that and kind of propel the team a little bit, it feels good,” Smith said. “That’s our role is to kind of try to generate some energy and generate momentum. If we score, that helps a lot. We were happy with that one.”

Werenski put Columbus back ahead 3-2 at 3:07 with a slap shot from the top of the right circle that went in off of Wedgewood’s glove.

Carrier tied it 3-3 at 4:09 of the third period on a wrist shot from the point.

NOTES: The Predators will play at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TVAS). It will be the first time Predators forward Steven Stamkos plays against the Lightning since signing a four-year, $32 million contract with the Predators on July 1. ... After rallying from down 2-0 to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Friday, Nashville has consecutive multigoal comeback wins for the fourth time in its history (three games from Feb. 27-March 2, 2018; two games from April 4-6, 2019; and two games from April 12-13, 2014).