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Kovalchuk helps Devils rally for SO win over Nashville

Oct 16, 2011 - 4:05 AM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Ilya Kovalchuk's goal in the first round of a shootout was enough for the New Jersey Devils to take a 3-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators.

Nashville held a two-goal lead entering the final period, but goals by Kovalchuk and David Clarkson sent the game into overtime.

Zach Parise added a goal in the second round of the shootout, while both Cal O'Reilly and Matt Halischuk failed to get the puck past Johan Hedberg.

Hedberg stopped 29 shots for New Jersey in relief of the injured Martin Brodeur. Brodeur left Thursday's game with an injured right shoulder and did not suit up for Saturday's contest.

Jerred Smithson and Colin Wilson recorded goals for Nashville. Pekka Rinne allowed two goals on 41 shots.

During a five-minute power play for Nashville on a major boarding penalty on Clarkson, Sergei Kostitsyn was awarded a penalty shot when he was brought down from behind by New Jersey defenseman Bryce Salvador. But Kostitsyn was stoned by Hedberg when he tried to swipe the puck through the goaltender's legs.

Less than 30 seconds later Nashville was able to get on the board when Kostitsyn slid a pass into the slot from the right circle where Wilson one- timed the puck into the high-left corner of the net for a power-play goal.

The Predators took a 2-0 lead a minute and a half later when Jordin Tootoo received a pass at the half boards on the right side of the ice and sent a pass through the defense to Smithson, who was sitting right to the left of the net. Smithson took the pass and took a quick swipe into the empty side of the net.

Neither team was able to score in the second period, but the Devils jumped back into the game early in the second.

Penalties by Patric Hornqvist and Shea Weber late in the second period carried over into the third and New Jersey capitalized on the two-man advantage at the 1:00 mark. Kovalchuk sat in the high slot with the puck after a series of passes by the Devils and sent a hard wrister off the left iron and in for the score.

New Jersey was able to tie the game when Mattias Tedenby grabbed a loose puck on a Nashville turnover deep in their own territory, skated towards the high slot and slid a pass to the right side of the net, where Clarkson tipped it in for the equalizer.

Game Notes

Nashville was outshot by its opponent for the fourth time this season...New Jersey went 1-for-5 on the power play, while Nashville was 1-for-3 with a man advantage.