NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators clinched a berth within the Stanley Cup Playoffs after losing to the Calgary Flames 5-4 in extra time at Bridgestone Area on Tuesday.
The Predators’ eighth straight playoff berth turned into reliable when the Dallas Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout. Nashville (44-29-7) will seemingly be thought to be one of many 2 Western Conference wild cards.
The Predators might per chance presumably have clinched their berth with a law eradicate however blew three leads, the third when Matthew Tkachuk scored with 0.1 seconds left within the third period.
“I judge or no longer it is an genuine tribute to our gamers,” Nashville coach John Hynes acknowledged. “We indubitably must be within the playoffs, the trend that I judge we played all year and the trend the guys have battled. No one picked us to be here. We talked about writing our own chronicle and having a solid team identification and a solid team culture, alongside with somewhat a number of talent. They labored their [tails] off for 80 games to bag here.”
Video: [email protected]: Tkachuk sneaks one in with 0.1 seconds left
Filip Forsberg scored two targets, Matt Duchene had a function and two assists, and Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators (44-29-7). Saros left the game at 13: 28 of the third period with an undisclosed injury.
Hynes acknowledged Saros turned into aloof being evaluated, and that the team would seemingly replace his quandary on Wednesday. Saros leads the NHL with 67 begins this season.
“Yeah, that is by no plot swish to gaze obviously,” Predators captain Roman Josi acknowledged. “Expectantly he’s OK. We don’t know what’s occurring. We’re real all hoping he’ll be OK.”
Elias Lindholm scored with 2: 59 ultimate in extra time for the Flames (50-20-10), who’re 9-1-1 in their past 11 games.
Tkachuk tied the game 4-4 within the ultimate 2d, stuffing a shot below Rittich. The function turned into confirmed after a evaluate initiated by the NHL Teach Room.
“I might per chance presumably no longer hear, so I did no longer know if it turned into indubitably in or no longer,” Tkachuk acknowledged. “Once I came to the bench, they acknowledged it turned into in. It turned into real cherish, `What else can presumably happen in this sport?’ It turned into swish to bag that one after which bag it in [overtime].”
Video: [email protected]: Lindholm’s shot trickles in for OT winner
Dillon Dube scored two targets, Noah Hanifin had a function and an abet, and Dan Vladar made 19 saves for Calgary, which has clinched the Pacific Division. It turned into the Flames’ first eradicate against Nashville in three games this season. The groups might per chance presumably play every varied in a first-round playoff series.
“Hundreds emotion, hundreds energy within the building,” Calgary coach Darryl Sutter acknowledged. “Stress-free sport. Take or lose it turned into a fun sport.
“That’s what playoffs are. Up one, down one. You wish to play every shift cherish or no longer it’s the one who might per chance presumably be the variation. That’s the trend it works.”
Dube gave the Flames a 1-0 lead at 4: 02 of the first period, scoring with a wrist shot over Saros’ left shoulder. He has eight targets in his past eight games.
Josi tied it 1-1 at 5: 41 of the 2d period, firing a slapshot from the excessive slot that beat Vladar.
Duchene made it 2-1 at 8: 08, scoring into an empty bag after Mikael Granlund‘s shot deflected to him. He and Forsberg every has 42 targets this season.
Dube tied it 2-2 at 13: 14 of the 2d, with a shot that deflected off the stick of Nashville defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
“I might per chance additionally deserve to insist, I’ve played over 1,000 games now, and that’s the explanation doubtless a first-rate-5 sport that I have been a share of with the targets, the hits, the fights, the emotion, crowd,” Calgary forward Milan Lucic acknowledged. “So it turned into a big sport to be a share of.”
Video: [email protected]: Forsberg rips in 2nd PPG to eradicate the lead
Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-2 lead 30 seconds into the third period, following a substandard-ice pass from Duchene.
Hanifin tied it 3-3 at 2: 03, sending a wrist shot from real inner the blue line that beat Saros on the glove aspect.
Forsberg made it 4-3 at 9: 35 of the third, scoring his 2d energy-play function.
“We hadn’t overwhelmed these guys this year, so if we bag flee into them, or no longer it’s nice to have the self assurance that we can beat them,” Tkachuk acknowledged. “I believed all in all, that sport did so much for us.”
NOTES: Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau played his 600th NHL sport and had two assists. He prolonged his point high-tail to six games (12 points; 5 targets, seven assists). Gaudreau has 113 points (39 targets, 74 assists), 2d-most by a U.S.-born player in a single season (Pat LaFontaine, 148 points, 1992-93). … Tkachuk prolonged his point high-tail to six games (10 points; four targets, six assists). … Josi had an abet, the 400th of his occupation. … Forsberg prolonged his point high-tail to six games (10 points; four targets, six assists). … Duchene prolonged his point high-tail to six games (nine points; four targets, 5 assists).
