Saros makes 43 saves, Predators end Stars winning streak

DALLAS -- Juuse Saros made 43 saves for the Nashville Predators in a 5-2 win against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on Tuesday.
Kyle Turris and Calle Jarnkrok each had a goal and an assist, Kevin Fiala, Cody McLeod and Pontus Aberg scored, and Mattias Ekholm had two assists for the Predators (18-7-3), who have won three games in a row.

WATCH: [All Predators vs. Stars highlights]
Nashville has scored 10 goals in two games following its 5-3 victory against the Boston Bruins on Monday.
"I think we're finding our stride," Ekholm said. "We have a lot of fun coming to the rink, and I'm thinking we're playing pretty good and we're getting the wins, and that's the most important thing."
The Stars (16-11-1) lost for the first time in six games. Ben Bishop was pulled in the second period after he allowed three goals on 15 shots.
"We just didn't have it tonight, and we're going to move on," Dallas captain Jamie Benn said.

Fiala gave Nashville a 1-0 lead 15:49 of the first period with a power-play goal. He has scored a goal in three straight games after his wrist shot beat Bishop to the stick side.
Saros made 21 saves in the second period, when the Predators scored four goals.
"I think it just showed that we stick together," Saros said. "They tried to come hard in the second, challenged with a couple fights, and we weren't scared about that. Yeah, I think it showed the character of our team."
McLeod scored his first goal of the season to put Nashville ahead 2-0 at 2:48. Bishop misplayed a dump-in by Alexei Emelin, and McLeod scored into the open net.
"I thought they showed the effects of (a back-to-back), but when we give them the big push in the second period when it's 1-0 and we've got all the scoring chances, that's a disappointing goal to go in," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Disappointing for everybody -- the goalie, us -- and that seemed to give them the air that they were able to breathe."
Aberg gave the Predators a 3-0 lead at 4:26 with his first goal of the season, and Turris scored on the power play to make it 4-0 at 7:34.
Jarnkrok scored shorthanded off a pass from Austin Watson at 15:06 to make it 5-0.
Nashville went 2-for-3 on the power play. Dallas was 0-for-2.
Stars defensemen Stephen Johns (1:27) and Jamie Oleksiak (19:18) scored in the third period to make it 5-2. Oleksiak played the puck to the low slot from the outside of the left face-off circle, and it went in off Predators defenseman Anthony Bitetto's skate.
"It was unfortunate that last one goes in on the redirect," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's really a nothing play. He could've walked away with [40-plus] shots on net and a one-goal-against performance. That's pretty impressive."
Kari Lehtonen made 15 saves in relief of Bishop.

Goal of the game

Aberg's goal at 4:26 of the second period.

Save of the game

Saros stopping Alexander Radulov with his left pad on the rebound of a Radek Faksa shot at 4:56 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Jarnkrok's shorthanded goal at 15:06 of the second period.

They said it

"They've got a team that's got a lot of firepower. They kept pushing and throwing pucks at the net. In the second half, I thought we were a little bit loose, but [goalie Juuse] Saros was really good and we did enough damage in the first 27, 28 minutes where we were able to get a lead. From there, I thought we maybe sat back a little bit too much, but after playing last night and getting in late, we'll move on." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette
"We had no energy this morning, and we had less tonight. So I'm not sure why. Something we're going to have to think about, but we did not handle it well at all. Still, in saying that, we had 45 shots on goal, a ton of scoring chances, 21 shots in the second period, but the people you count on, you've got to count on. That's just the way it is." -- Stars coach Ken Hitchcock

Need to know

Predators center Ryan Johansen missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. … Stars forward Antoine Roussel was a late scratch because of an illness and missed his third straight game. … The 45 shots were one shy of a season high for Dallas, which had 46 in a season-opening 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 6.

What's next

Predators: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV)
Stars: At the St. Louis Blues on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, FS-SW, NHL.TV)