Preds 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT): Preds make comeback

Nashville returned home for the second half of their first meeting of the season where they took on the Columbus Blue Jackets and were able to pull out a narrow win.

The game flowed back and forth for most of the first period, with an early advance by the Preds – held in check by goaltender Daniil Tarasov – giving way to a hard push by the Blue Jackets in the final period.

Scott Wedgewood made a massive save on Adam Fantilli with less than a minute left in the period, putting him in complete distress. Nashville rallied at the very end of the quarter, with a big chance from Roman Josi. With 0.6 seconds left in the first period, Filip Forsberg and Zach Werenski clashed in a scuffle for the puck and both headed toward the penalty area.

43 seconds into the 4-on-4 game, Kirill Marchenko broke a serve and the Preds got a 4-on-3 power play opportunity. However, the Preds were unable to convert, and a few minutes later, when Steven Stamkos lost his footing, Marchenko canceled out that penalty with the first goal of the game.

A few moments later, there was a near-total defensive breakdown – almost every Pred on the ice abandoned their duties to watch the puck – and Zach Aston-Reese made it 2-0 for Columbus. Sean Monahan then converted a penalty while Tommy Novak committed a hooking penalty. However, Marchenkov interrupted the Jackets' power play with his second penalty of the night, another catch.

Forsberg scored with a nice shot at 4-on-4, and although the Preds ended their short power play with a fantastic push, Tarasov was able to hold on (he made several saves without his stick) and Colton Sissons converted a penalty right after an i -Icing on Columbus, the game was reset. Nashville converted the penalty and managed to avoid being called for delay of game midway through the game, but things quickly went downhill.

Wedgewood had to fight hard to keep the Preds in possession as the Jackets applied heavy pressure to close out the second period and was rewarded again when Cole Smith scored the equalizer on the first shift of the third period. The Preds increased the pressure and looked to expand on this goal.

A missed interference call when Forsberg was pushed to the ice, followed by pure chaos on a broken play, put the Blue Jackets in position to score again, with Werenski making it 3-2 less than three minutes after Smith's equalizer . However, Alex Carrier got it back a minute later, receiving a pass from Zach L'Hereux – his first NHL point – to make it 3-3 at 4:09.

Tarasov made a couple of great saves from Novak and Forsberg, and Wedgewood made a huge save from Mikael Pyyhtia with a few minutes left in the third period, then another from Monahan as both goalkeepers tried to take their team into overtime. Wedgewood almost single-handedly pulled the Preds there and was rewarded when Jonathan Marchessault brought the game home.