Sunrise, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Filip Forsberg scored the decisive shootout
goal after tying the game late in regulation, capping Nashville’s 3-2 comeback
victory over Florida.
Seth Jones also scored in the third period for Nashville, which got 34 saves
from backup Carter Hutton.
Tomas Fleischmann and Aaron Ekblad had second-period goals for the Panthers.
Roberto Luongo stopped 23 shots in defeat.
“We all want to get that playoff spot,” Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant
said. “I thought we competed and deserved to get two points.”
Florida was down to its last shot in the shootout when Nick Bjugstad copied
teammate Brad Boyes and beat Hutton five-hole. Luongo then used a pokecheck to
thwart Roman Josi.
Dave Bolland tried to fire the puck between the legs of Hutton but was
unsuccessful. Forsberg followed up by making a move to the forehand and
banking a shot in off Luongo’s left pad.
The Predators struck twice on the power play to erase a 2-0 deficit.
Jones beat Luongo with a blast from the blue line at 4:44 of the third and
Forsberg snapped a shot from the right circle past Luongo to tie it with 4:43
remaining.
Florida took a 1-0 lead at 8:37 of the second when Fleischmann picked off Matt
Cullen’s blind pass in the Nashville zone and ripped the puck over Hutton’s
glove.
Ekblad converted a rebound on a delayed penalty to make it 2-0 with 5:33 left
in the second.
Game Notes
Forsberg has 18 goals this season, tying the franchise rookie record set by
Alexander Radulov in 2006-07 … Nashville forward Colin Wilson missed the
game with an upper-body injury that he suffered in Saturday’s 3-2 home win
over the New York Rangers.
