Penguins 2, Predators 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Phil Kessel's goal 41 seconds into overtime Saturday gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators.
The loss was the first at home for the Predators this season, after four straight victories at Bridgestone Arena to open the season. It also snapped a three-game winning streak for Nashville (6-1-1).
Predators left winger James Neal scored from the right side to tie the game with 8:33 remaining in regulation -- just 15 seconds after goalkeeper Pekka Rinne had been pulled. Center Mike Ribeiro and defenseman Barret Jackman assisted off defenseman Roman Josi's miss.
Nashville went on the power play with 4:43 left in regulation, following a hooking penalty by Pittsburgh defenseman Ian Cole, but the Predators could not get the go-ahead goal before the Penguins returned to even strength.
Pittsburgh left winger Chris Kunitz's slap shot slid past Rinne with 4:56 left in the second period to give the Penguins (4-4-0) a 1-0 lead. Malkin and center Matt Cullen assisted on the score, which marked the first time Nashville had given up the first goal of the game this season.
The Predators killed off a five-minute Pittsburgh power play early in the first period after left winger Austin Watson was sent to the penalty box for boarding -- he hit defenseman Brian Dumoulin behind the Penguins' net and dropped him to the ice. Dumoulin had to be helped to the team's bench.
Pittsburgh left winger Pascal Dupuis received two minutes for holding with 8:44 remaining in the first period. Nashville was unable to convert the power play.
Midway through the second period, Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis drew a two-minute interference penalty. Pittsburgh managed only one shot on the power play, a slap shot by center Evgeni Malkin that Rinne stopped. A couple of minutes later, Malkin was called for tripping, but Nashville was unable to take advantage of the two-minute power play.
Penguins goalkeeper Marc-Andre Fleury finished the night with 38 saves.
NOTES: The Predators recalled LW/RW Viktor Arvidsson from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. He made three appearances in the Predators' 6-1-0 start, with the team winning all three games, and scored his first career goal in the season-opening win over Carolina on Oct. 8. Arvidsson was assigned to Milwaukee on Friday morning but did not appear in a game before his recall. ... Penguins RW Pascal Dupuis saw his first regular-season action in nearly a year on Thursday against Dallas. Dupuis, who missed the final 66 games of last season after a blood clot was discovered in a lung, also missed the first six games of this season because of a lower-body injury suffered at the end of training camp. He had not played since Nov. 15, 2014. ... Pittsburgh scratches were D Adam Clendening, C Kevin Porter and RW Bobby Farnham. Nashville scratches were D Anthony Bitetto, C Calle Jarnkrok and D Victor Bartley.