Nico Hischier’s second deflected goal of the night broke a late tie, and the visiting New Jersey Devils won for the fifth time in six games, 4-2 over the surging Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Jesper Bratt had a goal with two assists, Jack Hughes recorded two helpers and Timo Meier added an empty-netter for the Devils (37-32-2, 76 points), who are essentially out of the playoff race, but winners in nine of the last 12.
On the power play with the game tied 2-2, Bratt left the puck by the near circle for Jack Hughes, who glided into the slot and unleashed a shot that glanced off Hischier’s arm and past Nashville goaltender Justus Annunen (26 saves) with 5:53 remaining in regulation.
Reid Schaefer and Steven Stamkos notched second-period goals for Nashville (34-29-9, 77 points), which owns the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference and had won five straight entering this contest.
New Jersey took the lead with 1:58 left in the first period. On the rush, Connor Brown found trailer Jonas Siegenthaler, who faked his shot from the high slot and passed the puck to the right wing for Jack Hughes’ one-timer, which Bratt redirected into the net.
The Devils made it 2-0 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the second period. Bratt handled the puck in the Nashville zone, skated around, then moved to the far board near the end line and sent an angled shot toward the net that deflected off Hischier and past Annunen.
However, the Predators got on the board less than two minutes later. With New Jersey caught on a line change, a surging Schaefer got the puck, broke free and beat Jacob Markstrom (16 saves) on the breakaway.
Nashville then tied it with seven minutes left in the second period. After Stamkos appeared to knock the stick out of New Jersey’s Simon Nemec’s hand, the Predators’ star eventually gained control of the puck in front of the Devils’ net and slipped it past Markstrom.
