Predators 7, Senators 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Blanked despite pouring 45 shots at St. Louis goalie Jake Allen on Saturday night, the Nashville Predators more than made up for that Tuesday night.
In its biggest offensive explosion of the year, Nashville got goals from seven skaters Tuesday night and rallied for a 7-5 verdict over the Ottawa Senators in Bridgestone Arena.
Every defenseman put up a point for the Predators (9-3-2), including Barret Jackman, who notched the go-ahead tally at 10:09 of the third period when his centering pass for left winger Colin Wilson appeared to dribble off the skate of goalie Craig Anderson and go over the goal line.
Right winger Gabriel Bourque tacked on an insurance goal at 11:43 off the rebound of a shot by defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
Anderson (6-4-1) finished with 31 saves for Ottawa (7-5-3), while Pekka Rinne (8-2-2) stopped 21 shots for Nashville. Rinne's stop of left winger Mike Hoffman on a breakaway immediately preceded Ekholm's tying goal at 2:29 of the third.
Ottawa skated to a two-goal lead in the game's first six minutes, getting deflection goals from left winger Milan Michalek at 4:27 and center Zack Smith at 5:54.
Nashville center Colton Sissons scored on his own deflection at 6:55, but Smith made it 3-1 after one period with a shorthanded goal, stealing a pass by center Mike Fisher and beating Rinne on a breakaway.
The Predators started the second period with three goals in a 2:28 span. Shea Weber opened the outburst at 6:23 with a power-play marker -- the 150th goal of his career.
Defense partner Roman Josi provided the equalizer at 7:57, undressing defenseman Erik Karlsson at the blue line and snapping home a wrister, and left winger Austin Watson tipped home the tiebreaker at 8:51.
But that lead lasted all of 41 seconds as Karlsson redeemed himself with his first goal. Right winger Curtis Lazar then gave the Senators a 5-4 lead at 19:08 by stuffing home a backhander on the power play.
NOTES: Ottawa D Cody Ceci returned to the lineup after missing Saturday night's game in Carolina with an injury sustained Thursday night when Winnipeg's Dustin Byfuglien hit him into an open bench door. ... Nashville C Colton Sissons was recalled from Milwaukee of the AHL Tuesday to replace G Carter Hutton, who went on injured reserve. The Predators recalled G Marek Mazanec on Monday to back up starting G Pekka Rinne. ... The Senators scratched D Chris Wideman, who scored his first NHL goal in Carolina. ... Nashville scratches included C Paul Gaustad (lower-body injury), D Anthony Bitetto and D Victor Bartley.