Ryan Ellis lifts Predators past Flyers in shootout

PHILADELPHIA-- Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne has won a lot of games in the NHL because of his high level of skill. He mixed in a good dose of luck against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Monday.
Rinne made 31 saves and two more in the shootout to help the Predators defeat the Flyers 2-1.
After winning NHL First Star of the Month for November, Rinne had struggled in his previous seven games, allowing at least three goals in all of them and going 3-3-1 with a 3.85 goals-against average and .865 save percentage.

WATCH: All Predators vs. Flyers highlights
But he appeared to get better as the game wore on Monday, culminating in two saves in the shootout. The final Flyers shooter, forward Jakub Voracek, got Rinne out of position, but that's where some puck luck came into play.
"Got lucky on the last one," Rinne said. "He deked me out. I was doing the snowman and luckily he didn't put it in. … I want to say I saved it but I think it hit the side of the net.
"I'll take it any day."
Rinne said he needed a strong game against a solid opponent to get him back on the right track.
"I felt good," he said. "It is great to play a good game against a good team in a fun building. They have good fans. I felt good. I feel like I made some good saves."
The Predators (14-12-5) know they'll need more games like Monday from their goaltender if they're going to climb the standings.
"[Rinne] was phenomenal for us," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said. "I think it could have been a lot worse in that first period. He kept us in it. On the penalty kill he made some big saves and some big blocks. If anything is going to be successful you are going to need your goalie to be your best player. Tonight was no different. [Rinne] was great. We finally found a way to win a shootout."
It was apropos that Ellis scored the game-deciding goal in the shootout. On Andrew MacDonald's goal that gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 10:32 of the first period, the shot from the point went off Ellis' elbow and past Rinne.
Ellis beat Flyers goalie Steve Mason with a low shot in the first round of the shootout.

"We work on that once in a while here and there," Ellis said. "Everyone's got their move and more or less I decided on that one and it worked."
The Predators had tied the game when Filip Forsberg deflected Matt Irwin's point shot past Mason at 11:46 of the third period. It was Forsberg's second goal in 12 games.
Mason made 30 saves for the Flyers (19-11-4), who lost their second straight after a 10-game winning streak. The loss also ended Philadelphia's streak of six consecutive home wins.
The Flyers went 0-for-3 on the power play, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:24 early in the second period.
"Would have been nice to get one but you … you can control your playmaking and intensity and I thought that was good," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. "I liked our puck movement, the opportunities we had. We hit a post, he made a couple of good saves. We had a couple opportunities 5-on-3 to be able to stretch it."

Goal of the game

Forsberg got great position in front to tip Irwin's point shot past Mason to tie the game.

Save of the game

At 14:40 of the first period, a puck bounced to Flyers forward Travis Konecny in front but Rinne got over and made the save.

Unsung performance of the game

Irwin made a great play along the wall at the Flyers blue line to hold in Ivan Provorov's clearing attempt in the third period and start the play that led to Forsberg's game-tying goal.

Highlight of the game

Rinne used every inch of his 6-foot-5 frame to kick his left leg out and stop Konecny from right in front at 8:28 of the third period.
"He cradled the puck and was able to scoop with his right-hand stick and I was able to get my left leg there and that was about it," Rinne said. "Just my long legs."

They said it

"He was the reason we won. We had a tough first period for whatever reason, we couldn't get it going. He kept us in it. Could easily have been 2-0, 3-0. He deserves all the credit tonight." -- Predators center Ryan Johansen on goaltender Pekka Rinne
"I think there's no excuse. We've got to find ways to come back and have energy and win a hockey game." -- Flyers goaltender Steve Mason

Need to know

The win was the Predators' first past regulation this season. They had been 0-5, including 0-3 in the shootout. … Mason became the fourth goaltender to play 200 games with the Flyers, joining Ron Hextall (489), Bernie Parent (486) and Doug Favell (215). ... The Flyers' 5-on-3 power play was their second of the season. They had seven seconds of 5-on-3 time against the Dallas Stars on Dec. 10.

What's next

Predators:At the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Flyers: Host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports, NHL.TV)