Predators 2, Hurricanes 1 (OT)
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Defenseman Mattias Ekholm scored with 1:51 remaining in overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 2-1 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night at PNC Arena.
Ekholm skated in from the right side and beat Carolina goalie Eddie Lack with the shot, sending the puck high into the net. It was his fifth goal of the season.
The Predators (19-13-7) won in an overtime session for the first time in 10 tries this season. They're 3-7 in games extending beyond regulation, the other two wins coming in shootouts.
Center Victor Rask scored for the Hurricanes (16-17-6), who are 4-6 in post-regulation results.
Center Paul Gaustad's short-handed goal for Nashville tied the game in the second period.
Goalie Pekka Rinne made 27 saves for Nashville, which won for the second time in its last five games.
Lack stopped 19 shots.
On the game's first goal, at 8:58 of the first period, Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner took the puck to the net, then Rask was there to clean up the rebound.
That was Rask's first goal on home ice since Nov. 14. He had five goals in between those.
Gaustad produced his first goal of the season when he redirected Ekholm's delivery at 12:35 of the second period. Guastad hadn't scored in his first 29 games.
That marked only the second short-handed goal allowed by the Hurricanes this season. It was the fourth short-handed goal for Nashville.
Later in the second period, Hurricanes center Brad Malone was denied on a short-handed breakaway.
NOTES: Hurricanes C Jay McClement missed the game because of illness. That ended his string of 198 consecutive games, dating to October 2013 when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. ... Nashville won the only other meeting this season, claiming a 2-1 home decision in the season opener Oct. 8. ... Nashville matched its season high for goals allowed in its previous game, falling 5-1 at Dallas on New Year's Eve. ... Predators C Cody Hodgson was in the lineup after sitting out the past three games. ... Carolina is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its 2006 Stanley Cup championship with festivities next month. Current Nashville coach Peter Laviolette was the coach of that Hurricanes team. ... The Predators play their only home game in an eight-game stretch Tuesday against Winnipeg. ... Carolina goes on a brief Western swing with games Monday at Edmonton and Wednesday at Vancouver.