Predators score 7 in win against Panthers

NASHVILLE --Tommy Novak scored twice for the Nashville Predators in a 7-3 win against the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Roman Josi had a goal and two assists, Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist, and Ryan McDonagh had three assists for the Predators (26-21-6), who lost their previous two games by a combined score of 9-2. Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves.
The seven goals were a season high for Nashville. It scored five straight after trailing 2-1.
"Obviously we're trying to put together a complete 60-minute game or close to it, and more importantly get the two points," McDonagh said. "For the majority of the game tonight, we were really clicking and didn't have any passengers. It was great to see us offensively get rewarded in a lot of areas there, and not compensate too much on the defensive end either."

Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins scored for the Panthers (28-25-6), who have lost three of their past five games (2-3-0). Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled during the second period after he allowed four goals on 11 shots. Spencer Knight made 12 saves in relief.
"We've put ourselves in a position where every single night we have to get points," Tkachuk said. "We have to get wins. We have to win way more than the majority of our games to get in (the Stanley Cup Playoffs). We're in a position now where every game is pretty much a playoff game for us to get in."
Novak gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 2:36 of the first period after he won a puck battle in the corner and fired a wrist shot over Bobrovsky's left shoulder.
Cousins tied it 1-1 at 7:55 in his 500th NHL game. He beat a screened Lankinen five-hole from the slot.

Tkachuk gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead at 12:09, redirecting Brandon Montour's cross-ice pass.
Matt Duchene tied it 2-2 at 12:56 with a slap shot after a feed from McDonagh, and Johansen put the Predators ahead 3-2 at 15:01 on the power play, stationing himself next to the crease and redirecting Josi's pass.
"We obviously wanted to get back into it when we were down," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "But I thought we were playing a really solid game. I thought our response to that was better than it was the other night (a 5-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday). I thought all-around in general, it was a pretty strong performance for us."

Colton Sissons gave Nashville a 4-2 lead on a breakaway at 7:40 of the second period, which prompted Florida coach Paul Maurice to pull Bobrovsky.
"I got [Bobrovsky] out of there because I didn't think it was going to be goaltending deciding the game," Maurice said. "For us, he's played a lot of hockey. It's an awful lot for him, so give him a little bit of rest and give Spencer some work."
Josi made it 5-2 at 16:23 with a slap shot from the left face-off circle that beat Knight high to the glove side.
Novak gave the Predators a 6-2 lead with a power-play goal at 8:58 of the third period, banking a shot off Knight from behind the net. It was the first two-goal NHL game for Novak, who was a healthy scratch for two games before returning against the Bruins.
"Sometimes a game off or two isn't the worst thing for guys," Hynes said. "They come back in, they're energized, refreshed and ready to go. He was good. He's a guy in particular where against Boston, he really wasn't himself. He's a guy that has great poise with the puck and makes plays when he has time and space. He was one guy in particular we talked with, and tonight you see the difference in his game."
Reinhart cut it to 6-3 with a power-play goal at 9:48, but Yakov Trenin scored an empty-net goal at 14:14 for the 7-3 final.

NOTES:Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas left the game early in the second period with what appeared to be a right hand injury after blocking a shot from Josi. Maurice did not have an update … Barkov had an assist, reaching 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists) for an eighth straight season … McDonagh had his first multipoint game for the Predators, and his three assists tied an NHL career high.