Stars rally with 3 unanswered goals to defeat Predators

NASHVILLE -- Mikko Rantanen scored a power-play goal midway through the third period, and the Dallas Stars rallied for a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday.

Rantanen gave the Stars a 3-2 lead at 10:44 of the third with a wrist shot off a cross-ice pass from Mavrik Bourque. It was the first power-play goal the Predators have allowed on home ice this season (killed previous 22 penalties).

“It’s important,” Rantanen said. “One-for-5 we got today, but the first four we didn’t really generate much. I think their [penalty kill] did a good job. They were pressuring and not letting us enter the zone even. But we stuck with it, no frustration.”

Jason Robertson had two assists for the Stars (5-3-1), who were coming off a 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Casey DeSmith made 23 saves.

Forward Roope Hintz did not play because of an upper-body injury.

“Sticking with it,” Rantanen said. “The last two games, our last 40 minutes have been good. Obviously, we would like to start a little bit better. We’ll try to work on that, but overall, a pretty good last two periods. Earned the win.”

Jonathan Marchessault and Spencer Stastney scored for the Predators (4-4-2), who had won consecutive games after losing their previous four. Justus Annunen made 25 saves.

“To me it was all puck management,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I think we wanted to get cute a little bit at the blue line. We wanted to play a little slower, and we had great success and a lot of shot quantity, puck possession when we did a certain thing. We’re not going to be a rush team. We’re going to have to be a certain type of team, and we’re kind of fighting that at different times in the game.”

Marchessault gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 8:02 of the first period on a rebound in front of the net on the power play. Ryan O'Reilly took the original shot from just below the right face-off circle.

“I think it was a good effort for a back-to-back (Nashville won 5-4 in a shootout against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday),” Marchessault said. “I thought we had good energy. We kind of let them linger around instead of taking over the game. It’s a disappointing outcome, but I think our effort was pretty good overall.”

Stastney gave the Predators a 2-0 lead at 7:15 of the second period with a snap shot from the left circle that beat DeSmith blocker side.

Oskar Back cut it to 2-1 at 9:36, redirecting Radek Faksa's shot between his legs in the slot. It was Back’s first game this season after missing the first eight with an undisclosed injury.

“It was great,” Back said. “It was so much fun to be back on the ice and be with the guys, go on the road. It’s why we play. It’s been so much fun, so it was great to get the goal and get the win. No better way to get it started.”

Wyatt Johnston tied the game 2-2 at 16:29 of the second period. Skating in on a 2-on-1 rush with Robertson, Johnston beat Annunen five-hole with a backhand.

“We were talking about it in there, the guys stayed with it,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “It’s not easy to win on the road being down two, and it’s not easy to win period being down two. Not a great recipe, but you’ll take it. You know, we were up two against [the Vancouver Canucks] a week ago and we didn’t get it (a 5-3 loss on Oct. 16). That’s the League now. It’s hard to hold the lead.”

NOTES: Stars forward Tyler Seguin took Hintz’s spot on the top line with Sam Steel and Rantanen. … Predators forward Steven Stamkos did not have a point for the fifth consecutive game. He has two points (one goal, one assist) in 10 games this season.