Filip Forsberg scores again, Predators top Oilers

NASHVILLE -- Filip Forsberg scored for the eighth time in the past four games and James Neal had three assists in a 5-4 win for the Nashville Predators against the Edmonton Oilers at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday.
The Predators (31-22-9) went 3-0-1 on their four-game homestand and are 9-2-2 in their past 13 home games.
The Oilers (33-22-8) are 2-3-0 on their six-game road trip that will conclude against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; SNW, FS-MW, NHL.TV).

WATCH: All Oilers vs. Predators highlights
Forsberg gave the Predators a 2-1 lead at 14:34 of the first period on the power play. He one-timed a pass from James Neal and beat Oilers goalie Cam Talbot for his 24th goal of the season.
"What he does is pretty special," Predators defenseman P.K. Subban said. "When you look at the top skill players, forget about scoring the goals, even if he's not scoring, his ability to create and make guys around him better is what I think separates him from a lot of guys. There's a lot of great goal scorers in the League, and it's unfortunate sometimes when you're a guy like him that you're evaluated by how many times you put the puck in the net.
"His ability to control the puck, win puck battles, make high-skilled plays in tight areas and traffic where a lot of guys lose the puck, he just finds a way to keep it and make plays. That's what separates him from the rest of the guys, and he's probably the best player that I've played with that's able to make those tight plays in traffic. He's got to be up there with the top players in the game."

Viktor Arvidsson gave the Predators a 5-4 lead at 1:19 of the third period on the power play. Neal made a backhand pass to Arvidsson, who scored his 21st goal.
Mark Letestu scored for the Oilers on the power play on a one-timer to make it 4-3 at 16:25 of the second period. Oscar Klefbom set up Letestu, and he one-timed it past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne for his 12th goal.
"On a night where we get two power-play goals, we've got to be winning," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "Our penalty killing units let us down tonight."

Jordan Eberle tied the game 4-4 for the Oilers at 19:00 on a redirection from the slot. Andrej Sekera centered the puck, and Eberle directed it past Rinne for his 13th goal.
Ryan Ellis gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 4:55 of the first period on the power play on a one-timer. It was his 10th goal.
"We seem to be kind of coming on at the right time," Ellis said. "Our big guys are starting to put the puck in the net. That's what we need going forward. It's a combination of good play defensively and good play offensively, but it's starting to kind of work out in our favor here."
Connor McDavid scored his 21st goal for the Oilers to tie the game 28 seconds later.

Vernon Fiddler gave the Predators a 3-1 lead at 7:29 of the second period. Milan Lucic made it 3-2 at 14:12 on the power play, but Colin Wilson put the Predators ahead 4-2 at 15:21.
Rinne made 28 saves and Talbot had 23.

Goal of the game

Forsberg skated down from the point to the left faceoff circle to set himself up for Neal's pass, and his shot flew under Talbot's glove.

Save of the game

Rinne made a save on a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins breakaway attempt at 5:55 of the first period to keep the game 1-1.

Unsung performance of the game

Neal's pass on the game-winning goal was a no-look backhand pass that gave Arvidsson a wide-open net. Neal drew Sekera to him to open up a shooting lane for Arvidsson.

Highlight of the game

Wilson cut past Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse and beat Talbot with a backhand shot above the glove on the rush.

They said it

"He played good. I think he'd like to have the one goal where they cut in on him back. Obviously his timing was off a little bit there and maybe a misread, but he played hard and was effective."-- Oilers coach Todd McLellan on Darnell Nurse's return to the lineup after missing 35 games with an ankle injury
"I've got to shoot the puck more. In the offensive zone I've got to get to the tougher areas. When you're not scoring you've got to go to those places to get your confidence, to get momentum. That's the right thing tonight, and hopefully that starts that." -- Predators forward James Neal

Need to know

McDavid became the first player in the NHL this season to reach 70 points. He has 21 goals and 50 assists. … Arvidsson and Forsberg are tied for the League-lead with nine goals in February.

What's next

Oilers: At the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; SNW, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Predators: At the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, FS-TN, NHL.TV)