Predators 3, Oilers 2
EDMONTON, Alberta -- James Neal put the Nashville Predators on his back Monday night.
The Predators left winger's hat trick propelled the Preds to a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Neal's third goal, a wicked wrist shot over the shoulder of Oilers goalie Laurent Brossoit at 4:17 of the third period, broke a 2-2 tie.
It was Neal's sixth career hat trick. He now has 26 goals on the season, and the surging Predators have earned at least a point in 15 of their last 16 games. The Preds are now comfortably holding down a playoff spot in the Western Conference, nine points ahead of the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche, who are tied for the final wild-card spot.
Calle Jarnkrok got assists on two of Neal's three goals.
The Oilers pulled Brossoit with just a little over two minutes left in the third. Preds defenseman Shea Weber was sent to the box for a cross-check with 12.4 seconds left. But Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, who faced 29 shots on the night, shut the door.
The Oilers jumped into the lead at 6:48 of the first. Rookie sensation Connor McDavid faked a shot and then slid a hard pass to linemate Jordan Eberle, who only needed to redirect the puck into an open net. The goal came on Edmonton's first shot of the game.
The advantage was short-lived. At 8:04, Neal got behind the Oilers' defense and slid the puck through the legs of Brossoit, who was making just his fourth career NHL start.
The teams traded goals in quick succession to start the second period. Oilers right winger Iiro Pakarinen scored at the 31-second mark, and 20 seconds later, Neal got his second of the game when his floater of a shot got through Brossoit.
Despite allowing the early goal, Rinne was outstanding for the remainder of the second, robbing Nail Yakupov and Taylor Hall with reflex saves, then shutting the door when Zack Kassian came in on a breakaway.
NOTES: The Oilers signed LW Jere Sallinen, a 2009 draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, to an entry-level deal. The 25-year-old Finn posted 19 points for Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League this season. ... The game was officially a sell-out, but tickets in the upper deck were available on resale site StubHub for less than $9 apiece Monday morning. ... Oilers D Darnell Nurse missed his third consecutive game due to a suspension. He is set to return to the lineup Wednesday. ... In the teams' previous two encounters this season, the Oilers scored a total of one goal vs. Nashville. ... Oilers D Adam Pardy missed his second game in a row due to an undisclosed injury. D Brandon Davidson missed his fourth consecutive game with an undisclosed injury. ... The Oilers scratched C Anton Lander and LW Luke Gazdic. ... The Predators scratched D Petter Granberg, and C Paul Gaustad was out with an upper-body injury.