Senators score twice in third, hold off Predators

NASHVILLE --Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat also scored, Shane Pinto had two assists, and Cam Talbot made 27 saves for the Senators (11-14-2), who are 3-1-1 in their past five games.
"They were our best line tonight, Pinto, Drake and [DeBrincat]," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "Drake's best game in a long time. He's physical, he's big, he's all over the puck, and if they are going to give us that every night, it gives us a lot more options and it makes it harder certainly for the other team to check us."
Yakov Trenin and Nino Niederreiter scored, and Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators (12-11-2), who have lost two straight after winning their previous three.
"I thought we played a good game, back and forth, physical," Nashville defenseman Dante Fabbro said. "So I think if we bring that intensity every night, it's going to give us a good chance to win."

DeBrincat gave the Senators a 2-1 lead at 3:55 of the third period. He tried to pass backdoor to Batherson, but Fabbro inadvertantly knocked the puck five-hole on Saros.
"Puck luck is a big thing," DeBrincat said. "You see that one goes in, and then I have an empty net on that power play at the end and I hit a post. Sometimes it goes one way then the other. It's a good team win."
Batherson scored Ottawa's second power-play goal of the game to push it to 3-1 at 9:15, receiving a stretch pass from Brady Tkachuk and flipping a shot over Saros' glove on a breakaway.
The Senators are 8-for-22 on the power play in their past five games.
"It was nice to see that one go in obviously at that point in the game," Batherson said. "Just super fired up. I lost an edge right before that and I was able to sneak behind the `D' and able to squeak one in. I'll take it. I just tried to get [Saros] to bite and then was able to flick one over the pad there."

Niederreiter cut it to 3-2 at 10:15, but with 4:39 remaining, Matt Duchene was assessed a double minor for high-sticking, hurting the Predators chances to complete the comeback.
Trenin gave Nashville a 1-0 lead at 16:57 of the second period, beating Talbot with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle. It was his second goal in 20 games this season after he scored 17 in 80 games last season.
"Yeah, it feels good," Trenin said. "Had a couple chances that I could shoot today, but I was like delayed on the puck and then had the puck on my stick and I couldn't shoot. Just decided to shoot again and it went in."
Giroux tied it 1-1 on a power play with eight seconds remaining in the second. The goal came 10 seconds after Nashville defenseman Jeremy Lauzon sustained an undisclosed injury after he was checked into the boards by Ottawa center Mark Kastelic. Because Lauzon skated to the bench and down the tunnel, it momentarily gave the Senators a two-man advantage.
NOTES: DeBrincat has five points (one goal, four assists) during a five-game point streak. ... Batherson has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. ... Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier also left the game with an undisclosed injury. Coach John Hynes did not have an update on Carrier or Lauzon postgame.