Senators have 3-game win streak snapped as Predators rally to victory in final period
Joseph, Norris score for Ottawa in loss
Considering their current playoff situation and the opponent of the evening, the Nashville Predators desperately needed a win Thursday in Ottawa.
They got it.
Ryan Johansen scored the winning goal on the power play at 12:38 of the third period, but it didn't come without controversy as the Predators defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2.
The play went under review but the goal stood.
"I thought it was but there was no clear proof that he touched it," Senators coach DJ Smith explained. "It's unfortunate and I thought at first it was, but after looking at it you can't tell."
WATCH | Predators edge Senators to pick up road victory:
Duchesne and Tanner Jeannot had the other goals for the Preds while Josi chipped in with three assists. Nashville (41-25-4) also got a 28-save performance form Juuse Saros.
"We talk lots about mental toughness and physical toughness, and those are the things. Ottawa's a hard team to play against," Nashville's John Hynes said before throwing some praise at his captain Josi, who has 19 goals and 87 points in 68 games.
"I think his numbers speak 1/8 for themselves 3/8, but I just think it's really impressive. All of us, the coaches, the players, all of you guys, the fan base, you're around a player that is a highly, highly talented guy, unbelievable character, the way that he plays the game, continual improvement. He's a special player, he's a special guy, he's a special leader."
Mathieu Joseph and Josh Norris scored the goals for the Senators (26-38-6) who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Anton Forsberg made 31 saves in the loss.
"I thought the guys battled hard. [Forsberg] was so good in net for us, so was Saros," said Joseph, who has 10 points in his last four games.
Norris gave the Senators their first lead of the game at 4:36 of the third period as his pass attempt hit Dante Fabbro's skate, came right back to him and then he beat Saros for a 2-1 lead.
The lead didn't last long as Josi blasted a shot from 10-feet inside the blue line that Jeannot tipped past Forsberg at 7:48 to tie the game at 2-2.
There was a lot going on through two periods Thursday. A lot of energy, a lot of scoring opportunities, a lot of animosity. What there wasn't a lot of, though, was finishing.
Through 40 minutes there were 81 shot attempts, 42 hits, 32 penalty minutes but just two goals. That despite the fact the Senators missed back-to-back break away opportunities in the second period and a minute and 16 seconds of five-on-three spanning the final 30 seconds of the first period and into the second period.
The lone goal of the first came on a slow moving two-on-one that saw Duchesne slip a crease-crease pass from Mikael Granlund past Forsberg at 8:32 giving the Predators a 1-0 lead.
In the second period, Austin Watson was stopped by Saros on one breakaway and Alex Formenton missed the net on another. The Senators finally got on the board as Joseph scored on an incredible breakaway pass from Erik Brannstrom.
From the top of the faceoff circle in his own end, Brannstrom hit Joseph in stride crossing over the Predators blue line and Joseph beat Saros at 15:32 to tie the game 1-1.
