Koskinen gets first NHL win since 2011, Oilers top Predators

NASHVILLE -- Mikko Koskinen got his first NHL win in almost eight years, and the Edmonton Oilers overcome a hat trick from Filip Forsberg in a 5-3 victory against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Koskinen, who had not won an NHL game since Feb. 11, 2011, as a member of the New York Islanders against the Pittsburgh Penguins, made 24 saves. He had not played in the NHL since Feb. 13, 2011, and spent the past five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.
"I thought Koskinen]*
Leon Draisaitl and Drake Caggiula each scored two goals for Edmonton (5-3-1), which has won five of seven after losing its first two games of the season.
It was the sixth NHL hat trick for Forsberg, whose 10 goals are tied for second in the NHL with Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins behind Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane's 11.

Juuse Saros made 30 saves for the Predators (8-3-0), who had won the past 13 games against the Oilers.
Caggiula gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead at 11:41 of the first period when he scored on the rebound of a Darnell Nurse shot for his first goal of the season.

"I think I've been playing well for the four or five games I've been playing in, creating a lot of opportunities for myself," Caggiula said. "I think it was just a matter of time before I got one there. I was able to stick with the first one and get a rebound goal. Typically that's the way goals go in in this league. It was a bit of a greasy one."
Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead at 4:14 of the second period when he scored on the power play off a Milan Lucic pass from behind the net.

"It's starting to get there," Draisaitl said. "Obviously, I didn't start the season the way I hoped, but we've been winning, and really that's all that matters. I'm going to get my game going. I know that I'm positive in that."
Forsberg made it 2-1 at 18:46 of the second period when he beat Koskinen on the power play off a cross-ice pass from Ryan Johansen.
"Right now, Filip is playing at a really high level," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "You've got to credit his two linemates too. Ryan is making some terrific plays. [Viktor Arvidsson] is the motor that makes it go, and all three of them are playing at a high level. But [Forsberg], for me, in the last two games probably has close to 25 attempts at the net, and when he puts the puck at the net like that, it's going to go in the back of the net."
Connor McDavid scored seven seconds later to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead at 18:53. He split the defense and backhanded a shot past Saros for his seventh goal.
Draisaitl put Edmonton ahead 4-1 at 4:19 of the third period with a wrist shot on the rush for his second goal of the game, sixth of the season.

Forsberg made it 4-2 at 4:43 of the third period before completing his hat trick on the power play at 15:54 to get Nashville to within 4-3.
Caggiula scored an empty-net goal to make it 5-3 at 18:14.

They said it

"I waited for a long time, but it was also good. Like I got a lot of time to prepare and we worked hard every day. It was nice to start with the win." -- Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen on his first start of the season

"There's definitely got to be more. Right now, a good majority of the 5-on-5 chances are coming from the Johansen line, so there's definitely a call in to produce more from other sources. The attempts are low. The zone time has got to be more substantial. It seems like it's quick, it's one and done. So we've got to find a way to keep it in the zone, generate the looks, generate attempts at the net, quality chances at the net and scoring. The one line is producing quite a bit. We've got to get the other lines to pick it up as well." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette on production outside of Ryan Johansen's line

Need to know

Prior to Saturday, the Oilers had not defeated the Predators since March 18, 2014. … Forsberg had seven shots on goal and 15 shot attempts.

What's next

Oilers: At the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN360, NBCSCH, NHL.TV)
Predators: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)