Rally Not Enough, Predators Fall in Overtime to Senators

The Nashville Predators came back to salvage a point in the standings, but the goal is two.
Monday's game had all the makings of an unforgettable comeback as the Preds erased a three-goal deficit - but the Ottawa Senators found the fourth goal in overtime to take the win. The result ends Nashville's win streak at three as they complete their season series with Ottawa, collecting three out of a possible four points.
The Preds played well enough to collect three goals in the game's final 40 minutes, but when it was all said and done, it was the start that was still fresh.

"Frustrated, disappointed, we came here to play a game, and we didn't do what we were supposed to do," Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's not good enough, especially when you've lost as many on the road as we have."

Roman Josi scored two of the Predators three goals, two of which were on the power play, as the visitors turned 3-0 into 3-3 with two tallies in the final frame. Thomas Chabot's 10th of the season, only 21 seconds into overtime, ruined the storybook evening for Nashville, however.
"We started slow - unacceptable," Preds defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. "It was not at all what we want… and we battled back and we fought hard and got a point. That was good, but there's certainly some areas we can be better."
The opening period couldn't have gone much worse for the visitors as Nashville surrendered three goals in the frame, including the third with just 12 seconds to play. Laviolette elected to switch up his goaltenders to start the second with Juuse Saros taking over for Pekka Rinne, and then the group began to chip away.
Josi got Nashville on the board when he tallied a power-play goal at 5:37 of the period, and Nashville held a 24-18 lead in shots after 40 minutes.

And things got even better in the third.
First, it was Craig Smith who rifled home a shot on the power play just 46 seconds into the frame, and then Josi got a friendly bounce with a shot that deflected off the stick of Ryan Dzingel and past Craig Anderson to tie the game at three all.

Nashville's best chance to take their first lead - and likely win the contest out right - came with 3:25 left when the Predators earned their fifth man advantage of the night. The special teams unit was turned away in the closing moments of regulation, finishing the contest 2-for-5.
There will be little time for the Preds to reflect on this one as they'll immediately head to Chicago for a meeting with the Blackhawks on Tuesday night. There will be plenty to build off of from Monday's outing, but also much to correct as well.
"With the exception of the first, we were right there, we were skating and competing and doing all the good things that we need to do on the road to get points," Ekholm said. "We just have to clean up that first 20 and then we're good but obviously we can play better."

Notes:
Prior to Monday's game, P.K. Subban (Injured Reserve) and Viktor Arvidsson (IR) participated in Nashville's morning skate, the first time they've been on the ice with the team since suffering their respective injuries.
Anthony Bitetto and Zac Rinaldo were scratched for the Preds on Monday.
Nashville now immediately heads back to the U.S. - Chicago to be specific - for a date with the Blackhawks on Tuesday night (at 7:30 p.m. CT). The Preds then finish off their trip on Thursday in Philadelphia and Saturday in Boston before the Christmas break.