NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jaccob Slavin scored the only goal of the shootout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
Jeff Skinner and Ron Hainsey scored in regulation for Carolina, which ended a two-game losing streak. Cam Ward finished with 25 saves through overtime and denied all three Nashville attempts in the shootout.
James Neal and Matt Irwin had the goals for the Predators, losers of two consecutive games — both in shootouts. Pekka Rinne stopped 23 shots.
Irwin put Nashville ahead 2-1 with 2:55 left in the second as his shot from the left point through traffic beat Ward on the stick side. It gave Irwin, who began this season with Milwaukee of the AHL and was recalled Oct. 24, a goal in three straight games — matching a career high.
Hainsey tied it at 8:22 of the third on a short-handed score, taking a pass in the slot from Elias Lindholm and driving to the net and slipping the puck between Rinne's pads.
Neal scored the game's first goal at 9:44 of the opening period. From inside the Nashville zone, Colin Wilson made a stretch pass to Neal just outside the Carolina blue line. With Hurricanes defenseman Ryan Murphy trailing, Neal cut to the right side and beat Ward for his second of the season.
Skinner tied it 1-1 with 6:35 left in the second with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that beat Rinne on the stick side.
NOTES: Hurricanes RW Lee Stempniak played in his 800th career NHL game. ... Nashville C Mike Fisher missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. ... Rinne is 6-1-1 in his career against Carolina.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Host New Jersey on Sunday.
Predators: Host Ottawa on Tuesday night.
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