Predators top Devils in shootout, gain in West wild card

NEWARK, N.J. -- Juuse Saros made 23 saves before stopping all three shootout attempts to help the Nashville Predators defeat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 at Prudential Center on Sunday.

"It was a grind, and I'm proud of the group and the resiliency," Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said.

Roman Josi and Luke Evangelista scored, and Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly each had two assists for the Predators (45-29-4), who had lost four of five, including 2-0 at the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Nashville moved into the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights.

"It was a good effort and we stuck with it," O'Reilly said. "Obviously, it wasn't a great start, but we kept building. We went out in the third and there was some miscommunication, which happens, and a little breakdown, but we kind of reset and turned it up in the third and I thought responded well."

Jack Hughes and Chris Tierney scored for the Devils (37-36-5), who have lost four of five (1-3-1). Kaapo Kahkonen allowed one goal on five shots before leaving with an injury in the first period. Jake Allen made 29 saves in relief.

"It's a good hockey team over there. They work," Allen said. "They don't have the most overly skilled lineup, but everyone contributes every night and that's why they're in the playoff (hunt) right now. Good teams are going to do that ... they're going to get momentum. It's how you manage that momentum and create your own."

New Jersey is five points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.

"To lose a game in the shootout, I just close my eyes and hope to hear the crowd roar," New Jersey coach Travis Green said. "It's a lot more fun when you win."

O'Reilly scored the only goal in the second round of the shootout. Saros denied Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt and Hughes.

"It's weird, obviously, for the amount of time I played with Allen (with the St. Louis Blues). ... He kind of knows my normal moves," O'Reilly said. "So, I kind of thought I'd do something a little different on him and just try to see what I could get. Lucky for me it got past him."

Hughes gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 1:49 of the first period, scoring with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle.

Josi tied it 1-1 at 8:39 on a slap shot from the point shortly after a face-off win by O'Reilly. Kahkonen, who left the game following the goal, did return to the bench to begin the second period.

Tierney put the Devils back in front 2-1 at 2:11 of the third period. Saros left the puck for Ryan McDonagh at the right post, but Tomas Nosek intercepted the play and passed out front to Tierney.

Evangelista tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 12:45, scoring with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle.

"They were pressuring really hard all night on the power play, especially off of face-offs, so I figured when the puck came back to me I was going to have at least one guy, maybe two, coming at me," Evangelista said. "I did a little cut back and saw O'Reilly was supporting me really well in the middle of the ice. I was able to slip the puck inside and he got a shot off with some traffic in front, and the rebound was just kind of sitting there and I was able to bury it. So, it was well executed."

NOTES: Luke Hughes had the primary assist on Jack Hughes' goal. He has 45 points (nine goals, 36 assists) this season, the second-most by a rookie defenseman in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history. ... Luke Hughes also extended his point streak to seven games (one goal, six assists).