Saros backstops Preds to win vs. Bruins
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Juuse Saros stopped 35 shots Thursday night as the Nashville Predators overcame the Boston Bruins' huge advantages in possession and total shots for a 2-1 win at Bridgestone Arena.
Austin Watson and Forsberg scored for the Predators, and Torey Krug had the Bruins' goal.
Making just his eighth start as the durable Pekka Rinne got a game off, Saros (4-3-1) kept Ryan Spooner from tying it with just under six minutes left, making a spectacular kick save on a Grade A chance from the right post.
Nashville (19-16-7) won its second straight game ahead of a five-game road trip that starts Saturday in Colorado. Boston (22-18-5) ended its four-game road trip at 2-1-1.
Backup goalie Zane McIntyre (0-3-1) saved 14 of the 16 shots he faced after relieving Tuukka Rask in the first period. It was just the fifth game for McIntyre this season.
Although the first period was scoreless, it certainly wasn't without drama. Rask departed with 7:11 left in the first period after taking a slapper from Roman Josi off the bottom of his mask and was replaced by Zane McIntyre.
Josi was knocked out on his next shift, the victim of an illegal hit by left winger Anton Blidh that rammed his head into the glass behind the Nashville net. Blidh was assessed a five-minute major for interference at 15:31, but Josi wasn't able to return with an upper-body injury.
After failing to cash in on five minutes of power play time, the Predators initiated scoring with a wrister from the slot by Watson at 1:02 of the second period. It was the fourth goal of the season for Watson but his third in as many games.
Krug equalized at 8:08 with a man-advantage goal on a slapper from the point. Krug blocked a clearing attempt by Viktor Arvidsson and scored his third goal of the season.
Forsberg gave Nashville the lead again at 17:36 with his 10th goal of the season, winning a race with defenseman Brandon Carlo to a three-line lob pass from Ryan Ellis and burying a wrister in the net.
NOTES: Boston D Colin Miller (lower-body injury) didn't play after being injured Tuesday night at St. Louis, but D Adam McQuaid (upper-body injury) was able to return after leaving that game in the first period. ... Nashville D P.K. Subban skated Thursday morning for the first time in nearly a month but sat out his 13th straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Bruins scratches were RW Jimmy Hayes and D Joe Morrow. ... The Predators scratched C Colin Wilson (lower-body injury), D Alexandre Carrier and C Mike Ribeiro, who played in the first 41 games.