Rinne Makes 37 Saves As Predators Beat Blackhawks, 3-2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Pekka Rinne made 37 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Filip Forsberg, Austin Watson and Roman Josi scored goals for the Predators, who have won 10 of 12.
Tommy Wingels and Lance Bouma had the goals for Chicago, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.
With Nashville clinging to a one-goal lead late in the third, Rinne made his best save of the night when he denied Nick Schmaltz's backhand from just outside the crease on a shorthanded breakaway. He later denied WIngels with the left pad in the game's final minute.
Forsberg opened the scoring at 3:16 of the first period.
Chicago goaltender Anton Forsberg stopped Filip Forsberg's initial attempt from the high slot, and the rebound deflected off of the right skate of Arvidsson, who was stationed just outside the Chicago crease. The puck drifted to the right, where Nashville's top goal scorer tapped in his 12th of the season.
Chicago tied it nearly two minutes later when Alex DeBrincat sent a pass to Wingels skating through the slot, where he redirected the puck over the glove of a diving Rinne.
Anton Forsberg made 28 saves.
Watson made it 2-1 at 3:48 of the second when Matt Irwin's shot from the left point was off the mark but deflected off of Watson's body and into the Chicago net. Officials upheld the goal after a challenge by the Blackhawks, who thought Watson had interfered with Anton Forsberg.
Josi scored a power-play goal at 2:32 of the third with a slap shot from above the left faceoff circle.
Nashville entered Tuesday with the league's best home power play conversion rate at 41.5%. The Predators were 1-4 in the game with the man advantage.
Bouma cut the lead to 3-2 midway through the third from the lower part of the right faceoff circle.
NOTES: Nashville has scored at least one power-play goal in each of its 11 home games. ... The Predators are 9-1-1 at home. ... Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane failed to record a point in the game, ending his point-scoring streak at seven games. ... Chicago is 2-5-0 against fellow Central Division teams. ... Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker attended the game.
UP NEXT:
Blackhawks: Host Dallas on Thursday.
Predators: Host Vancouver on Thursday.
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