Late goals push Jets past Predators
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Brandon Tanev's goal at 18:34 of the third period Tuesday night provided the Winnipeg Jets with a lead and Blake Wheeler's empty-netter at 19:58 sealed a 6-4 victory over the Nashville Predators at sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
Tanev swept down the left side against defenseman Roman Josi and wristed a shot from a sharp angle by Pekka Rinne for his third goal of the season. Nashville went with a sixth attacker for most of the last 86 seconds, but Wheeler sealed it with his ninth goal.
Winnipeg (20-10-5) moved within a point of Nashville (21-8-4) and St. Louis for first place in the Central Division.
Winnipeg opened the scoring at 8:05 of the first period as Adam Lowry shoveled a rebound into the net for his sixth goal of the season. Tyler Myers' point shot trickled behind inne and Lowry got to it before the goalie.
Nashville responded with two goals in a 21-second stretch late in the period. Calle Jarnkrok had his eighth when his wrister hit a skate and beat Connor Hellebuyck, then Kevin Fiala notched his ninth of the season with a wrister at 19:40. It marked the fourth straight game in which Fiala lit the lamp.
The Jets tied it at 2 on Patrik Laine's 17th goal of the season at 6:54 of the second period. He undressed Predators defenseman Alexei Emelin at the blue line, walked to the right circle and ripped a wrister home.
Nashville regained the lead 61 seconds later on the power play. P.K. Subban powered a one-timer off the crossbar that trickled over the goal line for his seventh goal of the year.
Nikolaj Ehlers erased the advantage 31 seconds after that with his 16th goal this season, collecting a loose puck in the crease and sweeping it home. Ehlers then gave Winnipeg its second lead of the game on the power play, backhanding a rebound past Rinne at 16:00.
Hellebuyck (18-4-4) and Rinne (18-5-3) each stopped 30 shots.
NOTES: Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice will work his 1,400th career NHL game on Thursday night in Boston. ... Nashville C Ryan Johansen entered with 10 goals and 10 assists in 15 career games against the Jets, and picked up an assist on P.K. Subban's goal in the second period. ... Winnipeg scratched LW Shawn Matthias, C Marko Dano and D Julian Melchiori. ... Nashville scratched D Anthony Bitetto, RW Miikka Salomaki and LW Cody McLeod.