Ryan O’Reilly scored the go-ahead goal and added two assists as the visiting Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night.
Michael Bunting scored his 100th career goal and added an assist for the Predators, who had gone 2-9-2 over their previous 13 games. Nashville’s Erik Haula, Steven Stamkos and Nick Blankenburg each had a goal and an assist.
Roman Josi also scored, Luke Evangelista registered two assists and Justus Annunen stopped 28 shots for his first victory in his seventh game this season.
James van Riemsdyk, Alex DeBrincat and Ben Chiarot scored for Detroit, which took its third loss in four games. Cam Talbot made 22 saves.
O’Reilly shoveled in a rebound with 5:46 remaining to put Nashville back on top. Haula scored 28 seconds later, and Stamkos added an empty netter with 1:15 to go in the contest.
The Predators cashed in on the first power play of the contest. With Nate Danielson in the penalty box for high-sticking, Blankenburg took a shot from the point that Bunting redirected into the net with 4:12 left in the first period. Haula was credited with the second assist.
Detroit tied the game on a power play at 5:30 of the second period. With Josi in the penalty box for cross-checking, DeBrincat skated into the left circle and beat Annunen on the short side.
With Blankenburg in the penalty box, van Riemsdyk gave Detroit a 2-1 lead with 3:26 remaining in the second period when van Riemsdyk backhanded his own rebound past Annunen’s left skate.
Blankenburg scored on a backhander at 2:05 of the third period, and Josi scored 15 seconds later when he banged in his rebound.
Chiarot tied it at 3-all less than a minute later with a shot from the point past a screened Annunen.
–Field Level Media
