MONTREAL – Craig Smith scored the only goal of a shootout as the Nashville Predators downed the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Monday night.
Viktor Arvidsson scored in regulation time for the Predators (28-21-11), who are 3-0-3 in their last six games.
Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal (28-27-5), who have points from their last five home games (4-0-1).
Nashville outshot Montreal 29-27 in regulation time and 30-29 overall.
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The Predators dominated the early minutes, leading 8-1 in shots at one point, and got the first goal at 3:16 when Arvidsson banged in James Neal’s rebound with Nashville playing with six attackers on a delayed penalty.
Montreal found its rhythm late in the period and Gallagher was at the doorstep to lift Andrei Markov’s rebound over Pekka Rinne at 19:49.
There was a deathly dull second period whose only highlight was a big glove save by Mike Condon on a Craig Smith laser from the slot 12 minutes in.
The red light went on behind Rinne’s goal with 2:33 left in the third after a mad scramble in which defenceman Roman Josi swept the puck out of the crease with a glove, but there were so many fouls from both sides on the same play the referees called none. Video review showed the puck never crossed the goal line.
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Smith was alone at the far post with a wide open net but misfired in overtime and it went to the shootout.
Notes — Canadiens winger Dale Weise, an impending free agent who has been the subject of trade rumours, sat out with a flu. Lucas Lessio moved into the lineup . . The Preds were without defenceman Barrett Jackman due to an upper body problem. That put Petter Granberg into the lineup.
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