Kucherov, Lightning defeat Predators in OT

NASHVILLE -- Nikita Kucherov scored 2:35 into overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Kucherov cut to the net and redirected Steven Stamkos' pass past Pekka Rinne.
Kucherov had a goal and an assist, Stamkos had two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for the Lightning (13-9-3), who were 0-2-1 in their previous three games.
WATCH: [All Lightning vs. Predators highlights]
"The past couple games, we've been playing maybe 40 hard [minutes] and spurts of really good hockey," Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli said. "I think today we battled for a full 60 minutes. We had a good answer there after they got that first one. [Ondrej Palat] comes back and answers big for us. I think overall we're pretty happy with how we played right now, and getting the two points is the most important."
Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist, and Rinne made 28 saves for the Predators (12-10-5), who are 3-1-2 in their past six.
Turris tied the game 2-2 at 9:51 of the third period with a one-timer on the power play. He received a pass from Mattias Ekholm and scored from the left face-off circle.

Turris was a healthy scratch the previous seven games.
"I felt like I played the exact same game I would've played if I didn't sit seven straight games," the center said. "I'm playing hockey and I'm playing my game, and that's all I'm going to do."
Victor Hedman gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 7:46 of the first period on a slap shot from the point. His shot deflected in off Predators forward Craig Smith.
"We needed to find a way to win this game or at least get some points out of it," Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. "It's good we got it to overtime, but we really wanted two points tonight, and it showed in the way we played. Maybe not as great of a start just because we spent a lot of time in our zone, but I thought we defended really well tonight. And when it counted, we got the job done. That's what's most important."

Calle Jarnkrok tied it 1-1 at 6:13 of the second period on a wrist shot off a face-off won by Turris.
Palat gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead 31 seconds later from the slot off a pass from Kucherov at 6:44.
"For us to battle back here and get the two points, it was a Western Conference team, so we were not as worried about giving up that extra point," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "The boys have deserved this. We've played some pretty good hockey here, and to have kind of the first period we had where we were a little lethargic, and to come back the way we did, I was pretty proud of the guys."
Predators forward Ryan Johansen was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for elbowing Lightning forward Brayden Point at 9:10 of the second period.
"The puck was coming around the corner and I tried to get body positioning to play the puck," Johansen said. "I haven't seen it, but I guess he ran into my elbow there or my elbow clipped him. I'm just happy to see he was OK and he was back right playing the next shift, so that was nice. It was frustrating."

They said it

"We had some power plays, but it was terrible. We've got to be better. [Vasilevskiy] kept us in the game big-time. Thanks to him, but we've definitely got to be better in our game. Everybody in this room has got to step up and be better."-- Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov on Tampa Bay going 0-for-3 on the power play
"Just stayed positive. I learned a lot from last year (when he was a healthy scratch). I mean I'm not going to second-guess myself anymore. I'm done with that and confident in the player I am and how I know I can contribute. I'm just going to keep doing that, keep doing my thing." -- Predators forward Kyle Turris on handling being a healthy scratch for seven games

Need to know

The Lightning played with seven defensemen and 11 forwards. … Tampa Bay forward Alex Killorn missed his second consecutive game because of a lower-body injury. … … Kucherov has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in a six-game point streak. … Predators center Mikael Granlund missed the game with a lower-body injury and is day to day.

What's next

Lightning:Host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SUN, FS-N, FS-WI, NHL.TV)
Predators: Host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, FS-TN, MSG+, NHL.TV)