Coyotes pull out 4-3 overtime win over Predators

April 28, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Phoenix went back up early in the second period on a good bounce of its own. This one came off the back of Predators defenseman Roman Josi, who dove to block a pass and knocked it down right in front of Klesla at the edge of the crease.

Nashville again had an answer, using a turnover in Phoenix's zone midway through to set up a goal by Kostitsyn, who poked the puck under a sprawled out Smith after he couldn't cover a rebound.

Boedker scored his goal late in the period, waiting and waiting on a 2-on-1 before ripping a wrister past Rinne, who had a spectacular save on Whitney about a minute earlier.

That made it 3-2 — not quite what was expected between two of the NHL's best defensive teams.

"With these two goalies, that is probably higher than anyone would expect, but who knows, those might be the only goals we see the rest of the series," Whitney said.

Nashville turned up the pressure in the third period, outshooting Phoenix 16-1 to leave the Coyotes tired and floundering. The flurry led to Erat's tying goal on a rebound, sending Phoenix to yet another overtime game in the playoffs.

The Predators kept up the pressure in overtime, getting numerous good chances while allowing the Coyotes a few meager counterattacks.

The Coyotes have seemingly needed only one chance all playoffs and Smith made sure they got it, making numerous difficult saves, including one on Bouillon that sent his stick flying. Whitney cashed in on one of Phoenix's few good opportunities after the second period, taking a pass from Hanzal off a faceoff and slipping it past Rinne in overtime to help Phoenix steal Game 1.

"When we took over the game and started playing in their end, we did a lot of good things," Predators defenseman Shea Weber said. "Obviously, that ended up biting us in the end — they got one chance and put it in, in overtime."

Notes: Nashville D Hal Gill returned after missing the Detroit series with a lower-body injury. ... Phoenix killed off 18 straight penalties before Erat's goal. ... The Predators, the NHL's best power-play team during the regular season, were 2 for 26 in the playoffs before Erat scored with the man advantage.