Predators rally in third period, end Stars' four-game winning streak

NASHVILLE -- Roman Josi scored the go-ahead goal with 1:22 remaining in the third period, and the Nashville Predators rallied for a 2-1 win against the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist, and Juuse Saros made 22 saves for the Predators (32-20-4).
"It's a huge win for us, obviously playing a team that is one point ahead of us in our division (Central)," Josi said. "It was a tough game, kind of the way you expect it against Dallas. A low-scoring game, good defense, good goaltending, not a lot of room out there. But it's great. … We never gave up and found a way to win."
John Klingberg scored, and Jake Oettinger made 29 saves for the Stars (32-21-3), who had won four in a row.
"It's a tough way to lose, obviously," Klingberg said. "It was a grinding game. It always is when we play these guys. They were able to find a way there to come out with two points, so it's disappointing."

Josi made it 2-1 at 18:38 of the third with a slap shot from the blue line after Johansen tied it 1-1 at 13:08 with a backhand from close range.
It was Josi's 15th goal of the season for Josi, one shy of his NHL career high he set in 2019-20.
"He's playing some real strong hockey," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "I think Roman continues to get better. … He's becoming more and more of a two-way defenseman and it hasn't taken anything from his offensive game, it's actually helped it."
Klingberg ended a 25-game goal drought 32 seconds into the third period when his wrist shot from beyond the top of the right face-off circle deflected off Nashville forward Eeli Tolvanen to give Dallas a 1-0 lead.
Johansen tied it for Nashville 16 seconds after Saros made a save on Michael Raffl's breakaway at 12:52 of the third period.
"It was huge," Josi said. "There have been countless times when [Saros] has done that this year. I mean, if [Raffl] scores, it's 2-0 and probably game over. It would be tough to come back. He makes a huge save, we come back and score. That stuff definitely gives us a lot of momentum."

Stars defenseman Esa Lindell denied Luke Kunin of a goal at 12:53 of the first period when he blocked Kunin's slap shot in front of an empty net after Oettinger was caught outside the crease.
Oettinger made 14 saves in the second period.
"It was a great game today," Klingberg said. "It was a lot of fun, good atmosphere. Too bad we couldn't get two points."
The Stars hadn't lost since Feb. 24, a 2-1 shootout defeat against the Predators.
"We keep losing one-goal games to these guys, it's disappointing," Dallas coach Rick Bowness said. "We battle them, and we've just got to find a way to get that second goal."
NOTES: Bowness said Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who has missed the past three games because of an illness, will return against the New York Rangers on Saturday. … Predators forward Nick Cousins returned after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. He had one shot on goal in 11:36 of ice time.