Pete Weber’s Postgame Report
Anthony Bitetto and Mike Fisher scored in the third period, and the Nashville Predators battled back to salvage a point following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.
The result gives the Predators at least a point in 14 consecutive contests, adding to the franchise-record streak. It’s been exactly one month since the club last lost a game in regulation.
“That was a gutsy effort by our guys,” Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “We battled back on the road, down two goals; it’s not really going your way, but yet you stay with it, stick with it and find a way to score the two goals.
“[We] found a way to turn it around in the third period and to me, that speaks volumes to the guys in the room and their commitment to get a win.”
Johnny Gaudreau scored twice in 10 seconds in the first period, and that score held until 7:44 of the third period when Bitetto went to the net and slammed home a gorgeous pass off the stick of Mike Fisher for his first tally in the NHL. Then, with the extra attacker, it was Fisher who slid home a loose puck at the side of the net with 78 seconds remaining in regulation time to even the score at 2-2 and salvage the point streak.
“We knew we just had to get one and find a way,” Fisher said. “This group has been playing well and it’s finding ways to get points and that’s important.
“We got better in the third, we got some chances and we were buzzing. We never gave up and that’s a good sign.”
The overtime loss isn’t the desired result, but at this juncture, one point is always better than nothing at all.
“That’s a huge character test right there, when you’re down 2-0 early and you find a way to come back,” defenseman Ryan Ellis said. “Points at this time of the season are huge.”
The Predators are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Edmonton to take on the Canucks. Faceoff is at 9 PM and you can hear the action here on Thunder Radio.
