New Jersey Devils at Nashville Predators

Nico Hischier scores twice as Devils defeat Predators 4-2

Timo Meier and Jack Hughes also scored and Nico Daws made 30 saves for the Devils, winners of back-to-back games on consecutive nights.

“I think we got what we deserved,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “We played hard. We had the opportunities. We created the type of chances we wanted to create and we got the two points we needed.”

Ryan O’Reilly and Tommy Novak scored and Juuse Saros made 42 saves for Nashville, losers of four of five. Roman Josi and Cody Glass each had two assists.

“I think tonight, it was leaky all night,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “The only reason it was where it was (is because Saros) played unbelievable. They were way more desperate than we were for some reason. They played the night before and they had more energy than we had. There were a lot of things that were extremely disappointing tonight.”

With time winding down in the third, Meier was able to tap home the winner after a goalmouth scramble with 5:15 remaining.

“We knew we had to be patient and win some battles in front of the net,” Meier said. “Get there and you’re going to get a greasy one like we did. Obviously, a real nice effort to get those two points.”

Glass had a look at an open net with 1:34 remaining, but Devils forward Curtis Lazar deflected the attempt away by reaching his stick into the shooting lane.

“They play with speed, they’re fast,” Glass said. “They just wanted it more, beating us to pucks, outmuscling us. That was just unacceptable.”

O’Reilly scored the game’s first goal at 4:04 of the opening period.

With Nashville on a power play, O’Reilly redirected a Glass shot past Daws for his team-leading 12th power-play goal of the season.

After going five games without a power-play goal, the Predators have three in their last two games.

Hughes tied it at 1:30 of the second with a tough-angle wrist shot from the right side that beat Saros high to the far side for his second goal in as many games.

Nashville regained the lead at 7:01 of the second when he took a pass from Josi going across the blue line and went in on a partial breakaway. From the low slot, Novak snapped a wrist shot high to Daws’ glove side.

Hischier tied it again at 2:16 of the third, when he tipped Jesper Bratt’s shot past Saros. He added an empty-net goal in the game’s final minute.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host Los Angeles on Thursday.

Predators: Host Dallas on Thursday.

NJ leads series 1-0