The Nashville Predators got depth scoring in the first period going up 3-0, but the Ottawa Senators came storming back to dominate play in the second and third to force overtime. Tim Stützle, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson scored in regulation to tie the game, and Claude Giroux scored to win the game in overtime for the Senators.
The Predators gave up an early power play chance as Michael McCarron sat for a trip at 1:57, but Nashville killed off the penalty. Just over six minutes later, McCarron got the Predators' first goal of the game as a dump in by Roman Josi took an odd bounce off the boards and onto McCarron's stick. McCarron scored at 8:26.
The teams battled back and forth through the middle of the period. Tommy Novak passed to Phil Tomasino at the blue line and Tomasino skated to the net to score at 16:30. Yakov Trenin tipped in Dante Fabbro's shot with one minute left in the first period. The teams headed to their respective locker rooms with the Predators up 3-0 after twenty.
After going down by three goals, the Senators came out in the second period with new goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Ottawa pressured Saros early, and at 5:21 Drake Batherson found the loose puck and skated across the low slot to get Ottawa on the board. At 9:20 Tim Stützle scored off the rush to make it a one goal game. The Senators outshot the Predators 10-5 halfway thought the second period.
A collision in the neutral zone stopped play, and Thomas Chabot was called for kneeing on Colton Sissons. Korpisalo faced four shots on the Predators' ensuing power play but made the saves. The teams returned to even strength, and Ottawa went right back to their offensive pressure.
Josh Norris won a defensive zone face off and Brady Tkachuk scored a diving goal with less than three minutes to go in the second period to tie the game. With :20 seconds left, Jeremy Lauzon went to the box for slashing while Ridly Creig sat for embellishment. The teams headed into the second intermission with the game timed 3-3 and 1:40 of four on four play carrying over into the third.
Four on four play expired in the third period and the Predators earned another chance on the power play as Erik Brannstrom sat for a slash. Nashville again couldn't convert, and shortly after the teams returned to full strength Michael McCarron went to the box for a hold. Juuse Saros made two big saves to keep the Senators from scoring on their power play chance.
Halfway through the period Tim Stützle found himself alone in front of Saros with the puck. As he shot, Saros stretched out and made the kick save and Stützle ended up on the ice. Saros was called for a trip, which the normal calm Finnish goalie took strong exception to. The Predators killed off the penalty, and the teams returned to five a side.
As time wound down, Saros came up with several key saves under pressure, and with one second left Korpisalo made a point blank save on Ryan McDonagh. Regulation ended, and the game went to over time.
Play went back and forth in overtime, but the Senators capitalized on a rush chance and Claude Giroux scored to give Ottawa the comeback win.
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