Weber scores vs. former team as Canadiens win in OT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Shea Weber's homecoming game couldn't have gone any better.
The Montreal Canadiens' defenseman, acquired from the Nashville Predators in the offseason, notched the tying goal as his new team rallied for a 2-1 overtime win Tuesday night at sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
Captain Max Pacioretty supplied the winner at 4:30 of the extra session, squeezing a wrist shot past Pekka Rinne for his team-high 16th goal of the season.
Rinne (13-10-6) was the best player on the ice for most of the night, making 41 saves. Carey Price (19-5-4) stopped 22 shots,, including his last one by Roman Josi on Nashville's final rush prior to Pacioretty's winner.
Montreal upped its record to 23-9-6, while the Predators fell to 16-14-7 and play eight of their next 10 games on the road.
After nearly two periods of scoreless hockey mostly dominated by Montreal, Nashville broke the scoring seal at 19:06 of the second with a bit of puck luck.
Kevin Fiala's backhander from the right faceoff dot struck the stick of defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and fluttered over Price's glove for his sixth goal of the season and first since Dec. 3.
But Weber erased the lead at 4:26 of the third period, not with one of his famous sizzling slappers, but a well-placed wrister from just beyond the right faceoff circle. Taking a pass from another former Predator, Alexander Radulov, Weber beat Rinne for his 10th goal.
Playing his first game as a visitor in Nashville during his 12-year career, Weber was loudly cheered when he stepped on the ice for pregame warmups and when he was announced as a starter.
The biggest cheers came during the first TV timeout of the first period, when the Predators played a tribute video for him on the scoreboard. The stoic Weber was visibly moved, his lower lip appearing to quiver at one point as he waved to the crowd.
NOTES: Montreal captain Max Pacioretty was able to play despite being struck in the foot by a Shea Weber shot at the team's morning skate Tuesday. Pacioretty entered the night with a team-high 15 goals. ... Nashville D P.K. Subban won the voting to be the Central Division captain at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Jan. 29. Subban (upper-body injury) is hoping to return to action in 2-to-3 weeks. ... The Canadiens scratched D Zach Redmond and RW Bobby Farnham, who was recalled Monday from St. John's of the American Hockey League. ... Predators scratches were D Anthony Bitetto and LW Harry Zolnierczyk.