Filip Forsberg and Nick Bonino each scored their team co-leading 11th goal as the host Nashville Predators skated to a 6-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Rocco Grimaldi and defenseman Dante Fabbro had a goal and an assist, and Yakov Trenin and Daniel Carr also tallied for the Predators, who improved to 4-1-2 in their last seven games. Bonino also had an assist.
Taylor Hall scored and set up a goal and Kyle Palmieri, Jesper Bratt and Travis Zajac also tallied for the slumping Devils, who have dropped five in a row (0-4-1).
New Jersey defenseman P.K. Subban received a standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period. The former Norris Trophy recipient was making his return to Nashville for the first time since being traded to the Devils in June.
Grimaldi's shot caromed off the skate of Trenin and past Louis Domingue (31 saves) to give the Predators a 3-2 lead at 5:52 of the second period. The goal was the first of the career for Trenin, who was recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Friday.
Forsberg scored off a rebound to double the advantage 92 seconds later, before Palmieri one-timed Hall's centering feed past Pekka Rinne (29 saves) at 13:07 with his team-leading 11th goal and second in three games.
Bonino's sharp-angle shot sailed under the crossbar at 5:47 of the third period before Hall tapped home a loose puck along the goal line to trim Nashville's lead to 5-4 with 8:51 remaining.
Grimaldi derailed the Devils' momentum by scoring on a breakaway 95 seconds later, with his third goal boosting his point total to a career-best 14 on the season.
The teams combined to score four goals in just less than four minutes to start the first period.
Carr deflected defenseman Dan Hamhuis' shot past Domingue just 46 seconds into the game for his first goal before Fabbro converted from the right circle at 2:13 to make it 2-0.
New Jersey answered quickly, with Bratt converting from the slot at 2:45 before Zajac located a puck in front of the net and beat Rinne between the pads at 3:59.
--Field Level Media
New Jersey | Nashville | |
Taylor Hall 2 | Points | Nick Bonino 2 |
Taylor Hall 1 | Goals | Nick Bonino 1 |
Sami Vatanen 2 | Assists | Mattias Ekholm 2 |
Kyle Palmieri 1 | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Louis Domingue .838 | Save Percentage | Pekka Rinne .879 |
Louis Domingue 31 | Saves | Pekka Rinne 29 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
New Jersey | 33 | 4 | 1-4 | 6-6 | 12 | 28 |
Nashville | 37 | 6 | 0-6 | 3-4 | 8 | 33 |