Forsberg ties it, Ellis wins it in SO; Preds top Flyers 2-1 (Dec 19, 2016)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Nashville Predators needed a little luck for their first shootout win of the season.
Filip Forsberg got the tying goal midway through the third period and Ryan Ellis had the only score in the shootout, helping Nashville give the Philadelphia Flyers their second straight loss, 2-1 on Monday night.
The Flyers had won 10 straight before losing to the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
Nashville got its first win in extra time and Ellis his first successful shootout conversion this season. The Predators were 0-5 in overtime and shootouts.
Ellis' goal stood because Pekka Rinne stopped all three Philadelphia attempts, including a sprawling stop to end it against Jakub Voracek.
''I got lucky on the last one,'' Rinne said. ''He already deked me out and I was just doing the snowman. Luckily, he didn't put it in, so I'll take it any day.''
Rinne stopped 31 shots, and Steve Mason had 30 saves for Philadelphia.
''There's no excuse,'' said Mason, who played in his 200th game as a Flyer, fourth on the team's career list. ''We've got to find ways to come back and have energy and win a hockey game.''
Defenseman Andrew MacDonald scored for the Flyers midway through the first period.
After trailing 1-0 entering the third, the Predators tied it with 8:14 remaining when Forsberg planted himself in front of Mason and redirected a point shot by Matt Irwin for his fourth goal of the season.
Forsberg's goal came on the Predators' 22nd shot and ruined Mason's bid for his first shutout since March 5.
Rinne, meanwhile, entered the game needing 11 saves to get to 12,000 in his career and he got there quickly, stopping 15 of 16 shots in the opening period.
''Pekka was phenomenal for us,'' Ellis said. ''I think it could have been a lot worse in that first period. He kept us in it. On the penalty kill, he made some big saves and some big blocks. If anything is going to be successful, you are going to need your goalie to be your best player. Tonight was no different. Pekka was great. We finally found a way to win a shootout.''
MacDonald got his second goal of the season. Right wing Jakub Voracek threaded a backhand pass through two Predators to MacDonald at the right point. His shot appeared to hit Ellis in the arm, changed direction and bounced past Rinne.
The Flyers outshot the Predators 16-8 in the opening period and had a chance to double their lead early in the second when Predators defensemen Adam Pardy and Roman Josi took penalties 36 seconds apart. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere rang a shot off the post and Mike Fisher blocked two shots to keep the Predators' lead at 1-0.
Nashville had a chance to tie it midway through the second period when Claude Giroux clipped Craig Smith in the chin for a high-sticking double minor. The Flyers stopped all four shots during the power play to improve to 15 for 15 killing penalties in their last five games.
NOTES: Predators D P.K. Subban did not make the team's trip to Philadelphia and sat out his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Veteran D Adam Pardy, recalled from AHL Milwaukee earlier in the day, took Subban's spot in the lineup. Subban is doubtful for Tuesday night's game against the Devils.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
Predators: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
