NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Juuse Saros made 29 saves and the Nashville Predators defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Friday night.
The start was Saros’ first after missing the last two games with an undisclosed illness that the team stressed was not COVID-19. Roman Josi and Eeli Tolvanen scored in the second period, and Yakov Trenin added a goal in the third for Nashville, which has won four straight.
New Jersey has lost five of seven, and seven of 10 overall. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots, and Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich scored for the Devils. The Devils outshot Nashville 31-27.
The first period ended deadlocked at 0, with New Jersey having a slight 6-3 advantage in shots on goal due in part to three power plays.
The Devils broke through just after the midway point of the second period on Zacha’s ninth goal of the season. Nico Hischier won a board battle behind the net before pushing the puck to Jesper Bratt, who whipped a pass into the slot that Zacha lasered over Saros’ glove.
The lead lasted for a full 2:23, when Josi scored his ninth of the season. New Jersey’s earlier failure on the power play came back to haunt the Devils when Tolvanen’s man-up goal with about two minutes left sent Nashville into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.
Trenin extended Nashville’s lead to 3-1 just six minutes into the third with his fifth of the season, and Sharangovich’s fourth of the season with 1:05 left ended the scoring.
BERNIER ON IR
During his pregame availability, New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff announced goaltender Jonathan Bernier was placed on the injured reserve due to a lingering hip injury.
Ruff said the injury had him “worried and very concerned,” for Bernier, who signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract.
Ruff said Bernier will “meet with our doctors and medical staff to try to figure out what the next steps can be.”
New Jersey called up Akira Schmid from AHL Utica in the corresponding roster move.
CHANGING PREDATORS
Nashville recalled Matt Luff from AHL Milwaukee to replace Matt Duchene in the lineup. The team announced during warmups the star center would miss the game with an upper-body injury, and characterized his condition as “day-to-day.” ... Goaltender Connor Ingram was reassigned to Milwaukee due to Saros’ return to the lineup.
UP NEXT
Predators: Visit the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Devils: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday night.
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