Skip to content

NHL Game Summary - Arizona at Nashville

Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Ellis had a goal and two assists in regulation and scored the winner in a shootout, leading the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.

Mike Ribeiro and James Neal also scored for the Predators, with Neal's goal in the third period tying the game. Pekka Rinne made 33 saves and stopped former Predator Martin Erat in the fourth round of the shootout to seal the win.

"We're going to need those points at the end of the year," Neal said. "It was a big two points for us."

Ellis had put Nashville ahead at the other end with a nice two-deke move to beat Devan Dubnyk, who had 23 saves in the loss for Arizona.

The Predators improved to 4-0-2 -- the first time since 2010 they are without a regulation loss after six games.

Keith Yandle and Martin Erat had power-play goals for the Coyotes and Rob Klinkhammer also scored.

"Our whole team competed," said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. "We had opportunities to get a win but unfortunately we didn't."

Neal committed a slashing penalty with 16 seconds left in regulation, then nearly ended the game after coming out of the box in overtime when he hit the far post after collecting his own rebound on the left side.

The Coyotes took a 3-2 lead 7:42 into the third period on Erat's power-play rebound on the right side, but the Predators tied it 21 seconds later after a neutral-zone turnover by Arizona led to Neal's slap shot from the left circle.

Earlier, David Moss set up Klinkhammer's goal 3:21 into the game, skating down the right side and centering the puck past Rinne's outstretched stick into the slot for his teammate, who hammered it in for a 1-0 Arizona lead.

Ribeiro tied it at 12:05 on an odd-man rush, flipping to Ellis in the slot and skating into position on the low right side for the return pass.

Ellis gave the Predators a 2-1 lead 5:12 into the second period on a wrister from the right circle through traffic. Arizona tied it 6 1/2 minutes later on Yandle's goal from the slot after the Coyotes won a faceoff on the power play.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox