Penguins erase 2-goal deficit but lose to Predators in overtime

The Pittsburgh Penguins rounded the unofficial quarter pole of the 2023-24 season Tuesday with their 21st game of the campaign.

The result was nothing worth celebrating as they fell to the Nashville Predators, 3-2, in overtime at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. It was an outcome that dropped them to a 10-10-1 record.

A goal by Predators forward Filip Forsberg only 14 seconds into the extra period was the difference. The Penguins suggested the scoring sequence was generated through interference.

“It’s a game-changing moment, right?” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told the Associated Press in Nashville.

So where is this team with just over one-fourth of the season completed?

“It’s just been kind of 50-50,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said following a practice session in Cranberry on Monday. “Like our record. Played pretty well for good stretches of time. Just some mental lapses. Definitely some more points we’d like to have but not too bad.”

Nothing was all that good for the Penguins in the first period as they allowed Predators forward Michael McCarron to score the contest’s first two goals.

McCarron’s first goal of the game and second of the season came 10:20 into regulation.

Digging the puck out of a wall battle in the Penguins’ right corner, Predators forward Gustav Nyquist slid a pass to the right point for defenseman Tyson Barrie. Surveying the scene for a moment, Barrie snapped a wrister towards the cage. Stationed in the slot, McCarron re-directed the puck with the forehand side of his stick blade, causing it to bounce off the ice and past goaltender Tristan Jarry’s right skate on the far side. Barrie and Nyquist had assists.

McCarron struck again late in the first period at the 18:38 mark on a delayed penalty call.

Taking a pass in the Penguins’ right circle, Predators forward Philip Tomasino forced another pass intended for the far side of the crease but had it blocked by the stick of kneeling Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson. The rebound slid below the right hashmark where McCarron, while falling, corralled it and fired a forehand wrister past Jarry’s right shoulder on the far side. Tomasino and Forsberg tallied assists.

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin scored his 10th goal at 5:49 of the second period.

After Penguins forward Drew O’Connor lost the puck on an offensive zone entry, linemate Reilly Smith claimed it on the left wing boards, pulled up a bit above the near circle and left a drop pass for an on-rushing Malkin. Taking the puck to the left dot, Malkin sizzled a wrister over goaltender Juuse Saros’ glove on the far side. The lone assist went to Smith, who snapped a seven-game streak without a point.

Things were tied when Penguins forward Bryan Rust, back in the lineup after missing three games due to an undisclosed injury, found his 10th goal 2:26 into the third period.

Digging a puck out of a pile-up on the Predators’ end boards, Guentzel rimmed it along the right wing wall to Penguins rookie defenseman John Ludvig at the right point. Backpedaling a bit, Ludvig dished the puck to Rust above the right circle. Turning toward the cage, Rust fired a wrister that struck something and deflected into the cage. Ludvig and Guentzel registered assists.

Forsberg’s 12th goal came off a rush into the offensive zone during three-on-three play.

As Forsberg gained the offensive blue line, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby collided with Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly, creating opening space for Forsberg to race in on net and fire a wrister past Jarry’s glove. Defenseman Roman Josi and O’Reilly had assists.

“I think (O’Reilly) was just kind of standing there and everybody wanted his ice and everyone ran into each other,” Forsberg told the AP. “(It created) a lot of room.”

Jarry made 23 saves on 26 shots, dropping his record to 7-8-1.

Notes:

• This was the Penguins’ first overtime loss to the Predators in franchise history.

• Ludvig’s assist was his first career point.

• Ludvig (6-foot-1, 213 pounds) fought McCarron (6-6, 232 pounds) at 6:44 of the second period. It was Ludvig’s first career fight at the NHL level.

• The Penguins’ power play was 0 for 2. The Penguins have gone eight consecutive games without a power-play goal.

• Penguins forwards Vinnie Hinostroza, Alex Nylander and defenseman Dmitri Samorukov were healthy scratches.