NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Alex Kovalev and Nick Foligno scored and Brian Elliott made 25 saves in the Ottawa Senators' 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Marcel Goc scored for Nashville. The Predators have lost three straight games.
Kovalev opened the scoring at 9:35 of the first period, beating goalie Pekka Rinne with a shot from in front of the crease. Rinne was making his first appearance after missing the past nine games recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
The Senators scored again from close range at 4:57 mark of the second period. A shot by Milan Michalek on the power play bounced off of one of Rinne's skates. Foligno controlled the rebound and put it in the right side of net with a wrist shot from in front of the crease as Rinne was out of position to the left side.
At the 7:16 mark of the second, Goc cut it 2-1 when he beat Elliott with a tip-in from a few feet in front of the crease.
Nashville's Martin Erat took a shot on a breakaway and then lost control and crumpled to the ice with 8:06 left in the second period. He skated off of the ice, but did not return because of an upper-body injury.
NOTES: The Predators have played seven sets of back-to-backs this season. This was the only meeting between the teams this season. ... Ottawa goalie Pascal Leclaire did not make the trip to Nashville due to a lower-body injury, but could play Sunday. ... Elliott, Ottawa's backup goalie, has played in 25 games with 11 wins. ... The Predators have scored only one goal in each of the last three games.
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