Stamkos lifts Lightning past Predators in OT for fourth straight win

NASHVILLE -- Steven Stamkos scored a power-play goal at 2:26 of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Stamkos scored on a one-timer from the high slot following a high-sticking penalty on Mattias Ekholm.
"It was one of those games where both goaltenders were playing really well," said Stamkos, who has scored in three straight games. "We had some really good chances early in the game, their guy made some good saves, [Andrei Vasilevskiy] made some big saves. … Just create an opportunity in overtime. If you get a power play, you want to bury it. We did that. It was a just a good character win for our group."
Stamkos' goal came after Alex Killorn tied it 2-2 at 16:39 of the third period, redirecting Ian Cole's shot from the point.
"You just can't force it," Killorn said. "[Juuse Saros] made a ton of great saves. He was really good for them tonight. Once we got one … it was just continue, continue, continue. If he's going to make that many saves the entire game, good on him, but we were able to get a couple in at the end."
Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists, and Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for the Lightning, (11-6-1), who extended their winning streak to a season-high four games.
Saros made 36 saves, and Filip Forsberg and Nino Niederreiter scored for the Predators (8-8-2), who had won three straight.
"At the end of the day, you're that close to getting two points against a really good team," Forsberg said. "I thought we battled hard. It feels like we lost a point, but at the same time, I feel like our effort was solid. At this point of the season, we've got to take those things, too."

Forsberg gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 2:09 of the first period, scoring on a slap shot from the top of the left circle on a power play.

Kucherov tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 4:25 of the second period. He skated through the neutral zone and into the high slot before finishing with a wrist shot over Saros' right shoulder.
"[Kucherov] was awesome tonight," Killorn said. "That goal, him going end to end, scoring. On my goal, he makes an unbelievable play off the wall. Then he gets the game-winning assist to Stamkos. He was definitely our best player tonight."
Niederreiter gave the Predators a 2-1 lead at 5:04 of the third period, scoring five-hole on Vasilevskiy following a turnover by Lightning forward Nicholas Paul. It was his third straight game with a goal.
"It was nice to see [Niederreiter] put the puck in the net," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "We want to continue to get that line going. Tonight was another opportunity where they got on the scoreboard. That's important. You've got to get production throughout your lineup, but it was nice to see them get rewarded for the hard work they put in."
NOTES: Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian made his season debut after missing the first 17 games while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He had seven hits and three shots in 15:58 of ice time. … Vasilevskiy has won eight straight games against the Predators. … Stamkos has seven points (three goals, four assists) on a four-game point streak and 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) on 11-game point streak against the Predators. . ... Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had an assist to extend his point streak to four games (two goals, six assists). … Predators forward Juuso Parssinen had an assist, giving him five points (three goals, two assists) in his first four NHL games. … Nashville forward Mark Jankowski did not play because of an undisclosed injury.