WASHINGTON — Ryan Johansen had a goal and two assists, Viktor Arvidsson and Rocco Grimaldi each added a goal and an assist and the Nashville Predators scored four unanswered goals to break their six-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday.
Johansen’s seventh goal of the season beat Braden Holtby to tie the score at 3 as the Predators scored three goals in 4:33 to take a 4-3 lead.
The loss broke Washington’s four-game winning streak. They had won 16 of 19.
Pekka Rinne stopped 22 shots for the Predators as they ended their longest skid since an eight-game slide from April 4-19, 2013.
Holtby stopped 28 shots.
Michal Kempny opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season at 4:33 of the first. The Capitals took a 2-0 lead four minutes later on Jakub Vruna’s 12th goal, which was followed 23 seconds later by Nashville’s Grimaldi’s second goal of the season.
Rocco Grimaldi, Nashville Predators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Washington took a 3-1 lead on Chandler Stephenson’s fifth goal at 8:22 of the second period. Holtby started the rush with a long outlet pass to Devante Smith-Pelly.
The Predators got within 3-2 on Miikka Salomaki’s third goal of the season midway through the second period. Nashville tied it at 3 on Johansen’s goal.
Frederick Gaudreau’s third goal of the season at 14:30 put the Predators ahead 4-3.
Ryan Ellis’ fourth goal at 11:35 in the third gave Nashville a 5-3 lead and Arvidsson’s ninth goal with two minutes remaining made it 6-3.
NOTES: Capitals F Alex Ovechkin hasn’t scored a goal in his past six games, his longest streak without a goal since Nov. 10-20, 2017. … Grimaldi and Salomaki hadn’t scored since Nov. 1. … Holtby received an assist on Stephenson’s goal, his second of the season and the 10th of his nine-season career. … Capitals D Brooks Orpik returned after missing 26 games with right knee surgery. … Washington sent D Tyler Lewington to Hershey (AHL) two days after he scored a goal, received an assist and got in a fight in his second NHL game. … Nashville recalled F Nicholas Baptiste from Milwaukee (AHL), but he was a healthy scratch. … Predators F Kyle Turris missed his second straight game with a lower body injury.
UP NEXT
Predators: Host Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday
Capitals: Visit St. Louis Blues on Thursday
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Rich Dubroff, The Associated Press
