Predators 4, Islanders 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Continuing their climb up the Central Division ladder, the Nashville Predators returned home from a successful road trip with another win Thursday night.
Goals by Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen in a 1:41 stretch of the second period snapped a 1-1 tie and gave Nashville a 4-2 decision over the New York Islanders at sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
It was the 16th time in 17 games that the Predators (36-22-13) earned a point. The latest win pulled them within three points of Chicago for third place and six points of Dallas and St. Louis for first place with 11 games left.
New York (38-22-9), which dropped its second straight game, pulled within a goal at 1:55 of the third period when left winger Brock Nelson potted his 23rd goal on a wrister that struck goalie Pekka Rinne on the right leg and trickled into the net.
The Islanders appeared to earn a power play when left winger Viktor Arvidsson was called for tripping at 16:23, but the referees reversed their call during a TV timeout. New York managed just one more shot on net after Nelson's tally.
Left winger Austin Watson sealed the verdict with an empty-netter at 19:03, his third goal of the season.
Rinne finished with 20 saves in notching his 29th win, while Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss made 28 saves but fell to 19-8-4.
Nashville initiated scoring at 9:15 of the first period when right winger James Neal converted a pretty pass into the slot from center Calle Jarnkrok into his 27th goal. Neal and Jarnkrok combined to win the puck in the corner, and Neal skated unfettered into the slot.
Rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock equalized for New York at 6:02 of the second period with his first career goal in his eighth game on a wrister from just inside the blue line, pumping his fist in celebration after the puck beat goalie Pekka Rinne.
The Predators regained the lead on the power play at 8:13. Johansen set up Ellis for a slapper from the right faceoff circle, his eighth goal of the season.
Johansen upped the advantage to 3-1 at 9:54, roaring down the right side after Neal's spinning backhand feed and beating Greiss short side with a wrister for his 12th goal.
NOTES: New York C Mikhail Grabovski was sent home with an undisclosed injury, according to coach Jack Capuano. Grabovski played 17:01 in Tuesday night's 2-1 shootout loss in Pittsburgh. ... RW James Neal's hat trick in Nashville's 3-2 win on Monday night at Edmonton was the team's fourth of the season, one more than they collected in the past three seasons combined. ... Islanders scratches were D Brian Strait, C Casey Cizikas and LW Eric Boulton. The Predators scratched D Petter Granberg.