DETROIT (AP) Viktor Arvidsson is playing some of his best hockey of the season and helping the Nashville Predators get some big wins.
Arvidsson scored his third goal in two games and the Predators ended their seven-game losing skid against Detroit with a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings on Tuesday.
Scott Hartnell and Kyle Turris also scored, and Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots for the Predators, who improved to 7-2-2 in their last nine games. Nashville also ended a three-game losing streak in Detroit since a win on Nov. 19, 2013.
Arvidsson, who scored twice in the Predators’ 5-2 win over Ottawa on Monday, now has eight goals and five assists in the last 14 games.
”The last two games, I think our line has been a lot better and we’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Nashville’s Ryan Johansen said. ”Arvie has been a huge factor in that, because he’s been making plays all over the ice lately.”
Arvidsson’s goal at 4:50 of the third period pushed the Predators’ lead to 3-1. The puck skipped over the stick of Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, allowing Arvidsson to get in alone and snap a shot by Howard on the stick side.
Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar scored for the Red Wings, and Jimmy Howard finished with 26 saves.
The Predators grabbed the lead just 4:18 into the opening period. Roman Josi’s wrist shot from the point deflected off the right skate of Nashville forward Hartnell before settling into the net behind Howard.
It was 2-0 Predators at 9:35 of the first. Josi’s wrist shot squeezed through the legs of Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall and landed right in front of Nashville center Kyle Turris, who tucked the puck past Howard. It was the first goal by Turris since Jan. 30, ending a nine-game drought.
”We got off to a good start, but the second period wasn’t good at all,” Arvidsson said. ”The third period was a lot better, but we still made too many bad decisions.”
The Red Wings got on the board at 10:12 of the second as Athanasiou slipped behind the Nashville defense, took a pass from Dylan Larkin and beat Saros with a stick-side deke move. It was Athanasiou’s first goal in 12 games.
”I think we needed something to kind of get the momentum going, so it was definitely good to help out,” Athanasiou said.
After Arvidsson restored Nashville’s two-goal lead, Detroit pulled back within one at 7:54 of the third. From a goalmouth scramble, Tatar jammed a loose puck past Saros.
”I thought the second half we took it to them,” Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader said. ”I felt from the drop of the puck we weren’t winning battles. I thought in the second and third period we were better.
”It’s tough to spot a team like that two goals. You’ve got to fight and scratch and claw to get back. We did. We had a lot of chances as the game went. It’s tough to finally lose it.”
NOTES: The Red Wings recalled G Jared Coreau from AHL Grand Rapids to replace G Petr Mrazek, traded Monday to Philadelphia. … Red Wings D Mike Green missed his third straight game due to an upper-body injury. … The Predators are 5-1-1 in the second game of back to backs this season.
UP NEXT
Predators: Host San Jose on Thursday night.
Red Wings: Host Buffalo on Thursday night.
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