Predators Keep Point Streak Alive in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Wild

Ryan O’Reilly forced overtime with 122 seconds remaining to extend the Nashville Predators point streak to 12 games (10-0-2), but the visitors ultimately fell to the Minnesota Wild by a 4-3 decision at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.

“It’s tough,” O’Reilly said. “We were right there, we battled back and we were doing good things and had some good chances too, Fleury made some unbelievable saves… [Juuse Saros] came up big for us too. It was a back-and-forth game, it was there for us and we had a chance. So, it’s disappointing, we wanted two, but you have to give them credit.”

“It was a fun hockey game,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “I loved our game. I thought we deserved a little bit better. But it was a great game. I think it was entertaining. They played really hard, it was back and forth, it was everything you want in a hockey game. So, it was a fun one to be a part of. Love the extra point, but the resiliency of our group down one late and being able to score I think is building our pillars of our success here this year.”

The result saw Nashville conclude their season series against Minnesota at 2-1-1 and moved the club to 37-25-4 on the campaign and 19-10-3 on the road.

QUICK HITS

Factor Forces OT

O’Reilly’s late equalizer was his 14th power-play goal of the season. The forward is tied with Valeri Nichushkin for the fifth most PPGs in the NHL and is one away from matching a career high, established with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2017-18 season.

“That’s the kind of play we’ve talked about,” O’Reilly said. “We were just kind of sucking them down and then trying to roll into that dangerous ice. I just saw the D-men kind of come out and I could get through and had a chance to get it in. So, I just tried to get around them and lucky for us it went in.”

O'Reilly's goal marked the second-latest game-tying goal by the Predators this season behind Filip Forsberg on Nov. 20 (59:22).

Third Line Stays Hot

Nashville’s third line of Luke Evangelista, Mark Jankowski and Tommy Novak factored heavily in Sunday’s contest.

With a goal and an assist, Jankowski recorded his first multi-point game of the season. His first-period goal extended the forward’s point streak to three games (1g-3a).

Evangelista’s 14th goal of the season established a career-high four-game point streak (3g-1a) and marked the first time the rookie has scored a goal in three straight outings.

Novak picked up his 24th assist of the season and stretched his point streak to three games (3a).

The trio have now combined for 11 points (4g-7a) in their last four outings.

A Central Division Showdown

The Predators meetings with their Central Division rival have had no shortage of physicality this season, and Sunday’s contest proved no different.

Sunday became Nashville’s second straight game at Xcel Energy Center to feature four fighting majors, and the two teams exited the ice with a combined 61 hits (26 NSH, 35 MIN).

Nashville’s six fighting majors against Minnesota this season are the most the team has recorded against any opponent in 2023-24.

UP NEXT

The Predators continue their four-game road trip on Wednesday with a Central Division contest against the Winnipeg Jets.

Puck drop at Canada Life Centre is at 6:30 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio.

NOTES

• Evangelista became the seventh rookie in Predators history to record goals in three straight games. The only other rookies to do so for Nashville over the past 15 years are Tanner Jeannot (3 GP in 2021-22) and Filip Forsberg (6 GP in 2014-15).
• Only three other teams have posted a longer point streak than Nashville this season: Edmonton (16-0-0), Winnipeg (12-0-2) and Seattle (11-0-2).
• The Predators on Sunday saw their road winning streak snapped at six games, the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history.
• Dante Fabbro exited Sunday’s game early after sustaining an upper-body injury.
• Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Tyson Barrie and Cody Glass were scratched and did not skate in Sunday’s game.