NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the deciding shootout goal to lift the Nashville Predators over the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Sunday night.
Roman Josi and Luke Evangelista scored for the Predators, and Filip Forsberg and O’Reilly each had two assists.
Jack Hughes and Chris Tierney scored for the Devils in regulation.
Evangelista’s power-play goal with 7:15 left in the third period tied it at 2-2.
The Devils, who recorded a franchise-best 112 points last season, won for the second straight night, but are currently on the outside of a wild-card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with just four games remaining. New Jersey defeated Ottawa 4-3 on Saturday.
Tierney’s fourth goal of the season gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead on a feed from Tomas Nosek at 2:11 of the second period.
Jake Allen stopped 29 shots for the Devils. He entered after starter Kaapo Kahkonen left the game with an undisclosed injury after Josi scored on a slap shot that tied it at 1-all 8:39 into the first period. He left the ice with the trainer’s help after stopping four shots.
Kahkonen returned to the Devils’ bench at the start of the second period.
Juuse Saros had 23 saves for Nashville.
Hughes gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead just 1:49 into the game with his 27th goal of the season with an assist from his brother Luke Hughes. With the assist, Luke Hughes set the Devils record for most points (45) by a rookie defenseman in a season.
New Jersey center Curtis Lazar is out with an upper-body injury. According to Devils’ interim coach Travis Green, he could miss the remainder of the season. He sustained the injury in the second period of Saturday’s game at Ottawa.
UP NEXT
Predators: Host Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Devils: Host Toronto on Tuesday.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
