Rinne Shines as Preds Top Flyers in Shootout

Filip Forsberg tied it in the third, and Pekka Rinne was perfect in the shootout to finish it off as the Nashville Predators defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a 2-1 final in the shootout on Monday night at Wells Fargo Center.
It's win No. 14 on the season for the Preds and their fourth away from home, giving them a much-needed triumph on the road.
After Philadelphia scored in the first period, a huge 5-on-3 penalty kill in the second helped give the Preds momentum, and Forsberg found the equalizer in the third to force overtime and give Nashville at least a point.

"It's a huge win for us," Rinne said. "We've been struggling on the road and any points, any wins we get right now, it's big. You look at the standings, it's a crucial time of the year and this one feels nice."
"It's a work in progress for us, it's getting deeper into the season, and we're going to have to right the ship sooner rather than later but it's a good start here," defenseman Ryan Ellis, who scored the only goal in the shootout, said. "A 2-1 win in a shootout for us in an away building is a good win."
Clutch Performers:
Video: NSH@PHI: Forsberg's great tip-in goal ties the game
It took almost 52 minutes into regulation, but better late than never, right? Filip Forsberg got the Preds on the board with a masterful tip in front off a Matt Irwin point shot to knot things at 1-1, and after a number of chances in the overtime session, it was off to the shootout.
Defenseman Ryan Ellis scored first, and then Pekka Rinne proceeded to deny all three Flyers shooters for the extra point, the first time this season Nashville has won when a game has gone past regulation.

"Pekka was really good when we needed him to be good, and eventually we got our legs under us and got a little more competitive," Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "We started winning the battles and scored a big goal in the third period to tie it up."
"We needed somebody to step up, because I've been struggling in the shootout] there," forward Ryan Johansen said. "Elly found a way to get it by him, and then Peks stopped three in a row against some good shooters. We found a way to get it done tonight. It wasn't our best game, but we're walking out of here with two points."
Killer Preds:
Already playing with a 1-0 deficit, the game could've gone out of reach for the Preds when they were forced to deal with a 5-on-3 penalty kill for 1:24 in the second period. However, stops from Pekka Rinne and key blocks from Nashville skaters kept the third-ranked power play in the League off the board, providing an opportunity for the Preds to eventually find the equalizer.
"It was instrumental," Ellis said of the kill. "To go down 2-0 in an away building, especially against a team that's been rolling… it would've been a tall mountain to climb, but we righted the ship today."
Rinne Wall:
[Video: NSH@PHI: Rinne denies Konecny on the doorstep
After giving up at least three goals in each of his last seven appearances, Pekka Rinne was back on top of his game on Monday. Rinne turned aside 31 Flyers' shots on the evening, perhaps none bigger than a left-pad stop on Travis Konecny in tight in the third period, leading to his 13th victory of the season, a welcome win for both the netminder and his team.
"Peks was phenomenal for us," Ellis said. "It could've been a lot worse in that first period, and he kept us in it. The penalty kill, he made some big saves and some big blocks. If any team is going to be successful, you're going to need your goalie to be your best player. Tonight was no different. Peks was great, and we finally found a way to win in the shootout."
"He was huge," Johansen said of Rinne "We're nothing without that guy. He was great for us once again tonight and a big reason we won."

Notes:
Preds defenseman P.K. Subban missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Adam Pardy, recalled prior to Monday's game, entered the lineup for the second time this season and blocked two shots and threw a hit in 7:19 of ice time.
Defenseman Ryan Ellis logged a career-high 30:31 of ice time against the Flyers.
The Preds travel to New Jersey tonight and will complete their two-game road trip by facing the Devils on Tuesday evening.