Josi scores 2 in 3rd period, Predators beat Stars 5-3

DALLAS -- Filip Forsberg answered for the Nashville Predators when they needed it in the second period.

In the final frame, Roman Josi provided the decisive blow -- and one more for good measure.

Forsberg tied it 21 seconds after consecutive Dallas goals, and Josi put Nashville ahead with 12:25 left before adding an empty-netter as the Predators beat the Stars 5-3 on Tuesday night.

"That was a big goal right before the second intermission," Josi said. "They got a couple goals, they're a good team and they're going to get some pressure. It was a huge answer getting (Forsberg's) goal."

Josi skated from behind the net into the slot, and his wrist shot hit defenseman Esa Lindell's stick and popped over goalie Anton Khudobin for a 4-3 lead.

"It was a lucky bounce off my stick and maybe someone else, too," Lindell said. "That's what happens when you shoot the puck and put it on the net. You get the lucky ones, too."

Nashville won for the second time in six games to move within a point of Central Division-leading Winnipeg.

Dallas is 1-4-1 in its past six games.

Lindell scored on the power play at 17:29 of the second, and Tyler Seguin put the Stars ahead 3-2 at 17:55. Forsberg tied it with 1:44 left in the period.

"It was huge," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "They get the power-play goal and immediately score after. That's when something could get away from you."

The game did get away from the Stars.

"We can't give up momentum goals," coach Jim Montgomery said. "We go up 3-2 and can't give up that goal right away."

Ryan Ellis had three assists, Brian Boyle had a first-period goal and Rocco Grimaldi scored in the second.

Jason Spezza scored the first of three Dallas goals in the second period. It was the 331st of his career but his first in 20 games since Dec. 29. He and Lindell each had a goal and an assist.

"I've scored lots of goals before," Spezza said, "You want to make a habit of it and not worry too much about it. But obviously I've been in a drought, so it felt good."

It was the first goal in 145:43 of playing time for the Stars, who scored all their goals in the second period.

Pekka Rinne made 36 saves in his 21st win of the season for the Predators.

Khudobin stopped 42 shots.

Boyle scored at 10:50 of the first period, seven seconds after Dallas had killed the game's first power play. Khudobin stopped a close-range wrist shot, but Boyle skated in front to knock in the rebound.

The crowd reacted with boos for Boyle, who eight seconds before had driven Dallas scoring leader Seguin into the boards at the other end.

Boyle went into the penalty box for holding at 17:39 of the first, but the Predators killed that penalty despite five shots on Rinne.

After Spezza tied the game at 1, Grimaldi gave Nashville a 2-1 lead. He took a pass from Ryan Hartman, skated in alone on Khudobin and faked toward the left before putting the puck on his forehand and sliding it inside the right post.

Game notes
C Craig Smith (lower-body injury) was out of Nashville's lineup for the first time since Dec. 21, 2017. ... Stars G Ben Bishop sat out his sixth straight game, and LW Blake Comeau missed his third. They have upper-body injuries. ... Boyle's 15th goal was his second in seven games since the Predators traded a draft pick to New Jersey for him on Feb. 6. ... Lindell's power-play goal was the Stars' first in 13 man advantages over six games. ... The season series ended with Nashville 3-2 and Dallas 2-1-2. ... The Stars have been outscored 14-3 in their current three-game losing streak.

UP NEXT

Predators: Host Los Angeles on Thursday to begin a three-game homestand.

Stars: Play St. Louis on Thursday in the second of a four-game homestand.

---

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports