Carrier's OT goal leads Predators over Oilers 4-3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- — Alexandre Carrier scored at 2:12 of overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.

Matt Duchene, Mattias Ekholm and Jordan Gross also scored for Nashville, which snapped a six-game losing streak. Juuse Saros made 31 saves to help the Predators end an eight-game skid against the Oilers.

“We came out and played a really solid hockey game,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “We deserved to win the game. We did it. I think that’s the most important thing when you come out of tough stretches is that sometimes you’re building your game and not getting results.”

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two power-play goals and Jesse Puljujarvi also scored for Edmonton, which has lost three straight. Connor McDavid had two assists and Jack Campbell made 30 saves.

In the extra period, Carrier took a long pass from Cody Glass and snapped a wrist shot past Campbell for the win.

“They chipped it in. ... I don’t know why,” Carrier said. “I decided to stretch the ice and (Glass) made a good heads-up play. They were going for a change and we got a 2-on-1. (Duchene) was on his one-timer, so I kind of look him and off, shot it and it went in.”

Nashville went ahead three times in regulation, and Edmonton tied it each time.

“Obviously, it seemed like a seesaw battle a little bit,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. “We were never able to get the lead on them, but I thought our team fought hard. In the end, it was decided in the overtime.”

Ekholm scored the game’s first goal at 4:35 of the opening period, when he converted the rebound of Tommy Novak’s shot.

Puljujarvi drew the Oilers even at 8:42 of the first with a wrist shot from the right circle that slipped between Saros’ pads. The goal was just the second of the season for Puljujarvi, who snapped a 25-game goal-scoring drought.

Gross put the Predators ahead 2-1 at 2:57 of the second when his wrist shot from the left point through traffic beat Campbell on the short side. Edmonton tied it 1 1/2 minutes later on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal.

Duchene scored on the power play with just under eight minutes left in the second to put the Predators back ahead 3-2. Nashville had not converted on the power play in six games, going 0 for 20 in those games.

Nugent-Hopkins’ second power-play goal of the game came tied it at 1:53 of the third.

Edmonton was 2 for 3 on the power play and has scored at least one power-play goal in seven straight games, getting two in six of them.

“We want our 5-on-5 game to keep getting better and better, but at the same time, our power play needs to score goals in timely situations,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “I feel like we’ve been doing that as of late, but it should bleed into our 5-on-5 play too.”

STREAKS EXTENDED

Both McDavid and Tyson Barrie had assists on Nugent-Hopkins’ second period power-play goal, extending their respective point-scoring streaks. Barrie’s streak moved to seven games, with 11 assists over that span. McDavid has recorded at least one point in 13 straight games, with 12 goals and 17 assists over the stretch. His career high point-scoring streak is 17 games, set between Oct. 13 – Nov. 20, 2021.

CARRIER RETURNS

Carrier returned to the lineup after missing four games due to an upper-body injury.

INSTANT IMPACT

Novak was recalled from Milwaukee of the AHL earlier Monday to help the offense. At the time of his recall, Novak led the Admirals in points this season with 26.

UP NEXT

Predators: At Chicago on Wednesday night.

Oilers: At Dallas on Wednesday night.

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