Predators recover to win fifth straight, sweep Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- Roman Josi broke a tie in the third period, and the Nashville Predators extended their season-long winning streak to five games with a 3-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday.

Josi received a pass from Eeli Tolvanen in the slot and scored with a wrist shot with 6:33 remaining to help Nashville sweep the back-to-back set. It won 3-1 here Saturday.
"It was a really nice play by [Viktor Arvidsson and Tolvanen], a lot of passes [to set me up]," said Josi, who ended an 18-game goal drought. "I just kind of walked in and I was thinking low blocker the whole time and luckily it went post and in."

Arvidsson had a goal and an assist, and Pekka Rinne made 27 saves for the Predators (18-17-1), who played without forward Filip Forsberg for a second straight game because of an upper-body injury. He is day to day.
Nashville, which has won seven of eight, is 4-0-0 against Chicago this season.
"I really liked the focus level, the grittiness, the work ethic that we play with and the commitment to play the game that we need to play to have success," Predators coach John Hynes said. "Guys do it and I think that's a tribute to the players."
Alex DeBrincat scored twice, Pius Suter had two assists, and Malcolm Subban made 28 saves for the Blackhawks (16-15-5).
"Disappointed in the response at the beginning of the first period, just understanding how big the game was," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. "It was too easy for them to create chances, and on the flip side they did a good job of keeping us to the outside and getting in between us and the net [with] hard pressure all over the ice."
DeBrincat pulled Chicago within 2-1 at 7:35 of the third period with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left face-off circle.
DeBrincat tied it 2-2 at 9:25 when he skated down the left wall around Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro and tucked the puck into the far side of the net.
"We did a good job at coming back, but we've got to stick with it [and] be able to hold that tie to the end or battle and get another [goal]," DeBrincat said. "I think we had a lot of momentum there and just one small breakdown that they scored on."

Arvidsson gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 4:43 of the first period when his centering attempt from below the goal line following a turnover by Subban behind the net deflected off Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan's right skate.
"I was going to rim [the puck around] and then I mishandled it, so maybe I could've put it to my backhand instead of trying to rim it past [Arvidsson] once he was already pretty much there," Subban said.
Mattias Ekholm's shot from the left face-off circle redirected off Calle Jarnkrok's left skate at the far post to make it 2-0 at 18:30.
The Predators were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and are 24-for-25 (96.0 percent) in their past eight games.
"Our penalty kill has done an amazing job, and obviously the goalies have been good," Josi said. "They made some key saves, but every play that's out there, we're blocking shots, we're getting in passing lanes, so really good job by the penalty kill."
NOTES:Tolvanen has seven points (two goals, five assists) in a five-game point streak. … Rinne has 26 regular-season victories against Chicago, his highest total against an NHL opponent. … Predators goalie Juuse Saros was a late scratch and is day to day with an undisclosed injury. He made 29 saves Saturday. Kasimir Kaskisuo was recalled from the taxi squad to back up Rinne. … Forward Patrick Kane played his 1,009th game to pass Bob Murray for sixth in Blackhawks history. … DeBrincat has 18 goals in 32 games this season, matching the total he had in 70 games last season. … Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome did not play because of the birth of his daughter, Weslie.