Red Wings overcome Weber's hat trick, beat Preds in OT
DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings were down by two goals twice. Even still, rookie center Dylan Larkin still liked his team's chances against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
"We didn't get rattled and just kept playing," he said.
Gustav Nyquist scored 1:41 into overtime and the Red Wings came back to beat the Predators 5-4.
Shea Weber had a hat trick with three power-play goals and put Nashville up 4-2 with his third score 8:03 into the third period.
Larkin scored for Detroit about a minute later, and then Justin Abdelkader tied it with a power-play goal with 2:23 left.
"It was a great third period for us," Larkin said. "We had a little of everything. It's a huge team win. Everyone's fired up."
Brad Richards and Tomas Tatar scored the Red Wings' other goals. Nyquist, Larkin and Tatar also had an assist each.
"I thought it was great character by our guys," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "We did a good job of staying patient and staying with it. We just kept coming and coming the second half of the game."
Detroit is on a 10-game points streak. Nashville has won two of its last nine games.
"Winning breeds confidence and losing does the opposite," Blashill said. "We have a good leadership group that makes sure we stay level-headed and try to get better."
Weber nearly singlehandedly ended Detroit's points streak.
"He's a special player," Blashill said. "He's an absolute weapon, and he's done it for a lot of years."
Viktor Arvidsson had Nashville's other goal.
Petr Mrazek stopped 28 shots for Detroit.
Nashville's Pekka Rinne had 31 saves, but was frustrated on Nyquist's game-winner.
"Just a breakaway shot and he put it in," Rinne said. "It's a fast situation and you try to read and react. He beat me, game over."
Richards scored his first goal of the season late in the first period after the puck deflected into the net off Weber's skate for a 1-0 Detroit lead.
Weber's first power-play goal tied it early in the second, and Arvidsson scored on a backhander minutes later for a 2-1 lead. Weber scored his second goal for a 3-1 lead, but Tatar converted for the Red Wings moments later on the power play.
"Their speed cranked up a lot," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "They were fast through the neutral zone and put a lot of pucks behind us and caused some penalties."
Detroit was 2 of 5 on the power play and Nashville was 3 of 4.
"Our power play has been doing a better job the last couple of games and it paid off tonight," Blashill said.
The Red Wings ended a six-game homestand with four wins and two overtime points.
"We have to take those points at home," Tatar said. "Obviously it's an advantage to play home games. You're going day-by-day. We want to continue this on the road, too. We're excited for our next game."
NOTES: Richards played with the Chicago Blackhawks last season. He signed as a free agent with the Red Wings but had missed 13 games with a back injury. He ranks ninth among active NHL players in points. ... This marked the 90th all-time meeting between Detroit and Nashville and the first of two this season. The Red Wings entered the game tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference while the Predators were tied for fourth in the Western Conference. ... The Red Wings play Tuesday night at the Washington Capitals. The Predators play at the Boston Bruins on Monday night. ... Nashville forward Calle Jarnkrok was selected by Detroit 51st overall in the 2010 draft and played 66 games for Blashill with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL from 2012-14.
