Penguins defeat Predators to keep pace for 2nd wild card in East

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist, and the Pittsburgh Penguins remained in contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.

Reilly Smith scored, and Marcus Pettersson had two assists for the Penguins (38-31-12), who are 8-1-3 in their past 12 games and would have been eliminated with a regulation loss. Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves in his 12th straight start.

Pittsburgh remained one point behind the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. Washington defeated the Boston Bruins 2-0 on Monday, and Detroit won 5-4 in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens. Each team has one game remaining.

“I think it's been like this for a while where we've had to go into every game and grab points and move on,” Crosby said. “So, obviously, we need some help, but given the position we were in a few weeks ago, I think we would have taken this opportunity. So, hopefully we get some help. All we can do is control being ready to play and finding a way to win that one.”

Filip Forsberg and Gustav Nyquist scored, and Ryan McDonagh had two assists for the Predators (47-30-5), who had won two in a row and three of four. Juuse Saros made 34 saves.

Nashville, which played its final game of the regular season, remained three points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights for the first wild card from the Western Conference. Vegas has two games remaining.

“Thought we would ease ourselves into the game. Can't do that,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “I think it's good for our group to realize that's going to be the pace and the atmosphere you're going to face (in the playoffs). I thought the last two periods we got to our game. We were knocking on the door.”

Michael Bunting appeared to give Pittsburgh the lead with a power-play goal at 6:23 of the first period, but it was overturned after Nashville successfully challenged for goaltender interference.

Crosby then gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 7:02 after scoring on the same power play. A shot from Bunting snuck five-hole on Saros and sat in the crease, and Crosby came from behind the net to tap it in before McDonagh or Dante Fabbro could clear it.

Karlsson made it 2-0 at 13:50, scoring on a one-timer from the point off a pass from Crosby.

Kris Letang appeared to score past a screen from Lars Eller at 16:20, but Pittsburgh had its second goal overturned after Nashville again challenged for goaltender interference.

“At this time of the year, especially in the position that we are, we can't really look back on things,” Letang said. “We have to just keep looking ahead."

Nyquist cut it to 2-1 at 7:24 of the second period, shoveling a bouncing puck under Nedeljkovic just outside the crease.

Smith scored 57 seconds later on a wrist shot from the high slot to push it to 3-1. It ended a 13-game goal drought.

Forsberg made it 3-2 at 17:36 with a snap shot from the right face-off circle for his 48th goal of the season.

"We know we're in, but at the same time, it's about being ready,” Forsberg said. “I think the first period was not 'ready' hockey, but the second and third were."

Nashville outshot Pittsburgh 16-8 in the second after being outshot 20-5 in the first.

"Kind of disappointed, a little bit, we lost,” Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon said. “Thought we played just 40 minutes. Wish we came ready in the first. Maybe the game would've been ours. But I thought we showed that character in the second and the third. We're going to be ready for Game 1 (of the playoffs) here."

Emil Bemstrom extended it to 4-2 at 2:42 of the third period on a one-timer off a slap pass from Karlsson.

"I tell you before, this team is amazing,” Pittsburgh forward Evgeni Malkin said. “If we play like this all year, probably, we clinch the playoffs. ... We have great potential here. We know that. But we started a little bit late, probably.”

NOTES: Lauzon had nine hits to reach 383, breaking Matt Martin’s NHL record (382 in 2014-15) for the most in a season. ... Crosby’s assist was his 50th of the season. He is the 14th player in NHL history to hit the mark 11 times. ... Penguins forward Jansen Harkins had one hit in 5:38 of ice time in his return after having hand surgery March 8. ... Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier did not play for roster management reasons. ... Pittsburgh forward Bryan Rust had the secondary assist on Crosby’s goal, his 200th in the NHL.