SEATTLE (AP) — Mattias Ekholm scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and the Nashville Predators beat the Seattle Kraken 4-2 on Tuesday night.
The Predators also got goals from Filip Forsberg, Luke Kunin and Matt Duchene in their third straight win. Roman Josi added two assists, and Juuse Saros made 32 saves.
“I just liked the fact we had a pretty gritty effort. We had to stick with it. It wasn’t an easy game,” Nashville coach John Hynes said.
Jared McCann and Adam Larsson scored for the Kraken.
Seattle entered with three wins in the last four games, one of the best stretches of its inaugural season, and the Kraken took an early lead when McCann scored his team-leading 16th goal on a 5-on-3 power play nine minutes in.
Nashville tied it 21 seconds before the first intermission on Kunin’s 10th goal, a one-timer from the top of the left circle.
Seattle again took the lead in the second, going ahead 2-1 when Yanni Gourde’s pass from behind the net found Larsson streaking in front with 7:39 left in the period.
Forsberg tied it 2-all about three minutes later, taking the puck the entire length of the ice on a rush and finishing with his 21st goal.
“That shot is unbelievable,” Ekholm said. “You could see the determination he had behind the net, skating out. No one was catching him and he just ripped one. There’s not too many players that can do that in this league.”
Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves for Seattle, and coach Dave Hakstol said the Kraken need more from their goaltender.
“The first goal, it’s a tough time, that’s a tough one, he’s got to stop that. The second one as well. He’s facing a good shooter, but it’s from the outside,” Hakstol said. “Those are things that can push a team back on their heels. Not his best, and he’ll have to be better in Pittsburgh a few nights from now.”
The Predators took the lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the period. Ekholm came around behind the net and his wraparound shot deflected in off the skate of Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn.
Nashville added another power-play goal by Duchene with about four minutes to go in the third.
“I think this group has shown time in and time out it doesn’t matter the score, it doesn’t matter how many goals we’re down or up. We still fight, we’re in there battling,” Ekholm said. “Obviously we’d like to jump up early, get a good lead and hold onto it, but sometimes it’s good for your group to go through different scenarios and emotions.”
NOTES: Nashville recalled F Cole Smith and D Matt Tennyson from the taxi squad. … Seattle was down two of its top six defensemen. Jamie Oleksiak (lower body) is day-to-day and missed his fourth straight game. Carson Soucy (lower body) is week-to-week after getting hurt in the first period Sunday against Florida. … Kraken F Joonas Donskoi was back in the lineup. Donskoi was scratched Sunday after appearing in each of the first 40 games.
UP NEXT
Nashville: Plays at Edmonton on Thursday.
Seattle: Plays at Pittsburgh on Thursday.
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Daimon Eklund, The Associated Press
