MONTREAL – Ryan O’Reilly scored the go-ahead goal on the power play with 3:16 left in regulation, and the Nashville Predators rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
Adam Edstrom added two empty-net goals in the final 2:36 for Nashville, which erased a 2-0 deficit. Alex Kerfoot and Matthew Wood also scored for the Predators.
Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for Montreal, which outshot Nashville 34-20 but could not hold a lead.
Suzuki opened the scoring 3:12 into the second period, and Newhook made it 2-0 at 8:50 with his first goal of the season, set up by Josh Anderson. The first period was scoreless.
Kerfoot cut the lead to 2-1 at 15:06 of the second. Wood tied it on the power play at 19:28, with Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg getting the assists. Anderson was in the penalty box for cross-checking on the play, and Arber Xhekaj drew a 10-minute misconduct.
O’Reilly put Nashville ahead at 16:44 of the third with another power-play goal, assisted by Roman Josi and Stamkos. Edstrom then scored into the empty net at 17:23 and again at 18:34.
Juuse Saros made 32 saves on 34 shots for the Predators and was named the game’s first star, according to NHL.com. Jacob Fowler, who was called up by Montreal this week, started in goal for the Canadiens.
Montreal was assessed three minor penalties for tripping, to Lane Hutson, Kaiden Dobson and Matheson, along with Anderson’s cross-checking minor.
According to NHL.com standings, Nashville is 2-1-1 and Montreal is 1-2-1.
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Via NHL.com. Score confirmed by theScore.
