Jets top Predators in OT, gain ground in Western wild card race

NASHVILLE --Neal Pionk scored 55 seconds into overtime for the Winnipeg Jets in a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Pionk redirected Pierre-Luc Dubois' cross-ice passin front of the crease to beat Juuse Saros.

"Obviously, you'd love to win in regulation, take all two," Jets center Adam Lowry said. "[But] if we take care of business on our end, we play them again (April 8 at Winnipeg), we'll put ourselves in the driver's seat to control our own destiny. We're really focused on just winning games, whether it's in regulation, or if it takes a little bit extra, so be it."

Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves, and Nikolaj Ehlers and Lowry scored for the Jets (39-28-3), who had lost two straight.

"We didn't sag," Lowry said. "We just kept confident. We're doing a lot of good things. We feel like it's right there for us. We can win with a game like we're playing. It was nice to stick with it and get rewarded in overtime."

Saros made 31 saves, and Cody Glass and Luke Evangelista scored for the Predators (34-25-8), who lost their second straight game.

Nashville trails Winnipeg by five points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference but has three games in hand.

The Predators are 8-3-2 in their past 13 games.

"Obviously you'd like two [points], but you've got to take what you can get," Glass said. "We still have three games in hand. We need to string along a couple wins here and really just come together."

Predators captain Roman Josi did not play following the first period. He took three hits in the period but played the final shift. The team said after the game Josi was being evaluated and that there would be an update Sunday.

"He's one of the best defensemen in the League," Glass said. "He carries a lot of our offense, and just bringing up pucks, he's really good at. So there's new opportunity for some guys, good spots for guys to get better in different situations and build off our game going into the final stretch."

Glass gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 5:26 of the first period, scoring his 10th goal of the season. Cal Foote's shot from just inside the blue line was deflected twice, first by Philip Tomasino and then by Glass at the right side of the crease.

Ehlers tied it 1-1 at 6:17 of the third period on a slap shot from the left face-off circle over Saros' left shoulder.

Nashville regained the lead 34 seconds later when Evangelista made it 2-1 at 6:51. Tyson Barrie sent a pass to Tommy Novak toward the side of the net, and Novak's centering pass found Evangelista at the top of the crease.

"Yeah, that was a big play -- I've got to give credit to Tyson and [Novak]," Evangelista said. "They made that play easy for me. I just had to kind of tap it in there. But yeah, I thought it was a great bounce back ... I really liked that."

Lowry tied it 2-2 at 10:15 on a rebound in the crease. Saros made the save on Lowry's tip of Josh Morrissey's shot, but Lowry pounced on the loose puck.

"Regardless of the outcome of this game, there's still quite a bit of hockey left to play," Morrissey said. "Obviously, you'd love to come in, get two points and give them none. It's the reality of this time of year."

NOTES: Dubois returned after missing five games with an upper-body injury. He had two shots and the assist in 17:58 of ice time. ... The Predators recalled forward Egor Afanasyev from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Saturday, and he replaced Rasmus Asplund in the lineup. Afanasyev had one shot, two hits and three blocked shots in 7:14 of ice time. ... Novak extended his point streak to five games (seven points; four goals, three assists) … Tomasino had an assist, extending his point streak to four games (five points; one goal, four assists).