WASHINGTON — Ryan McDonagh scored his first goal for the Nashville Predators with 3:16 remaining in the third period for a 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Friday.
McDonagh, playing his 31st game with Nashville, received a chip pass from Ryan Johansen on the rush, avoided goalie Charlie Lindgren‘s left pad and scored on a backhand. The defenseman was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 3.
“I think everybody was a little surprised. I was surprised myself there,” McDonagh said. “You obviously don’t get too many breakaways as a defenseman. Just happy to contribute here and help the guys find a way.”
Video: NSH@WSH: McDonagh gives Predators lead in 3rd period
Yakov Trenin had a goal and an assist, and Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves for the Predators (18-14-6), who have won three straight and are 6-1-2 in their past nine games.
“The last few games we’ve played some pretty good teams, but our commitment to shot blocking, we’ve had some good goaltending, they’ve been physical games and they’ve been hard games,” Nashville coach John Hynes said. “So, it’s nice to be able to put in the effort and the commitment that we’re making and be able to get the results.”
Sonny Milano and Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored, and Lindgren made 18 saves for the Capitals (22-14-6), who were 7-0-2 in their previous nine games.
“It was a tight game. It was going to come down to who scored a goal in the third period or overtime or the shootout,” Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. “I felt like it was fairly tight both ways. You had to fight for your ice out there.”
Video: NSH@WSH: Trenin gives Predators lead in 1st period
Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin had his four-game goal streak end (seven goals).
Thomas Novak gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 4:10 of the first period when he took advantage of a turnover along the boards, skated to the edge of the right face-off circle and beat Lindgren with a wrist shot.
Milano tied it 1-1 at 9:52, after knocking in the loose puck Conor Sheary‘s shot hit the right post six seconds after a Washington power play ended for his 100th NHL point.
“It’s just my spot on the power play is up front,” Milano said. “So, that’s where I hang out, and I think [Sheary’s shot] hit off a post and I just tapped it in.”
Trenin batted in a bouncing puck in front of the net to put the Predators ahead 2-1 at 15:09.
Aube-Kubel tied it 2-2 with an individual effort at 11:07 of the second period. He entered the zone on the rush, faked a shot, skated around Predators forward Nino Niederreiter and beat Lankinen between the pads for his second goal in as many games.
“Yeah, maybe because it was a forward playing there in the middle, so by faking the shot maybe he didn’t see it coming,” Aube-Kubel said. “Take advantage of it, I guess.”
Video: NSH@WSH: Novak starts scoring in 1st period
Washington had a power-play opportunity midway through the third period but did not score. When one chance was thwarted Alexandre Carrier blocked Ovechkin’s one-timer at 12:06.
Carrier had seven of Nashville’s 21 blocked shots.
“That means a lot. You see Carrier or all the other guys put their bodies on the line for you, and that’s what you want to do for them as well,” Lankinen said. “I think that’s the price you’ve got to pay for wins. Sometimes it hurts a little bit, but it’s always going to feel better afterwards.”
NOTES: Each team played the second of back-to-back games; Nashville won 5-3 at the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington won 6-2 at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. … Novak has seven points (four goals, three assists) in nine games since being recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Dec. 19. … Predators forward Matt Duchene had an assist and has nine points (five goals, four assists) in the past 10 games. Nashville defenseman Matthias Ekholm played his 700th NHL game. … Aube-Kubel has scored in two straight games after not having a goal in his first 18 games this season (12 with the Capitals, six with the Toronto Maple Leafs). … Sheary has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in the past seven games. … Capitals forward Yevgeny Kuznetsov had his seven-game point streak end (two goals, nine assists).
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