Stars rally in 3rd period to get past Predators

NASHVILLE -- The Dallas Stars scored twice within 47 seconds in the third period to rally for a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Adam Erne tied it 4-4 at 9:33 from the slot off Colin Blackwell’s backhand pass from behind the net, and Sam Steel then made it 5-4 at 10:20 with a one-timer from the bottom of the right face-off circle following a cross-ice pass from Wyatt Johnston.

“I think that’s the type of games that I kind of came here for,” Erne said. “Playoff-like games where it’s tight checking, chances both ways. It got pretty physical there in the third. I thought our group did a good job of responding to the physicality. Big job on the [penalty kill] by those guys, and I think we just stuck with it. That’s kind of been the story of the last couple weeks.”

Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist, and Johnston and Miro Heiskanen each had two assists for the Stars (8-4-3). Jake Oettinger made 17 saves.

“We’re not trying to be down by one or two,” Bourque said. “I think stuff happens in the game. Like tonight they had two quick bounces and we found ourselves down one, but we always stick to it. So far we’ve been coming back a lot.”

Nicolas Hague had a goal and an assist, and Ryan O'Rourke and Nick Blankenburg each had two assists for the Predators (5-8-4), who have lost four consecutive games (0-2-2). Justus Annunen made 17 saves.

“We clawed back after a tough first period and made a game of it,” Nashville forward Steven Stamkos said. “It’s just the games that we play well defensively, we can’t seem to get that extra goal to put us over the hump. Tonight we score four and give up five, so it’s about trying to balance that out. It’s obviously frustrating when you’re in as many games as we are and you’re losing those by slim margins of errors.”

Bourque gave the Stars a 1-0 lead at 6:26 of the first period by redirecting Heiskanen’s pass in front of the net.

Luke Evangelista tied it 1-1 at 17:46 on a wrist shot from the high slot with Oettinger screened.

“Probably not enough quality looks for our group tonight, although we score four and it should be enough to win,” Stamkos said. “You give a high offensive-skill team like that too many good chances, it’s not a good recipe.”

Roope Hintz then gave the Stars a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal 13 seconds into the second period. He split two defenders before beating Annunen through the five-hole from low in the left circle.

Hague made it 2-2 at 4:43, scoring on a wrist shot from the left point with bodies again in front of Oettinger.

Filip Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-2 lead 27 seconds later. He scored at 5:10 with a wrist shot from the slot off a pass from behind the net by O’Reilly.

“I didn’t think there was a dip in our game,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “The goals went in, but our game didn’t dip. And that was a big moving-forward point from me on this because these games are going to get wild. You’ve got bounces either way. They got a couple of good bounces, but I thought we played a good game.”

Justin Hryckowian tied it 3-3 at 2:20 of the third, lifting his own rebound into an open net, before Stamkos gave Nashville a 4-3 lead on the power play at 5:11. He scored with a one-timer from the left dot.

“It was an unbelievable shot,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said of Stamkos’ goal. “It’s a ridiculous shot. We’ve got to continue to work to try to find ways to get him the puck a little bit more.”

NOTES: Stamkos scored his 24th career go-ahead, third-period goal. The only active players with as many are Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (31) and Chris Kreider of the Anaheim Ducks (25). … Blankenburg has six points (one goal, five assists) in a career-high five-game point streak. … O’Reilly won 17 of 26 face-offs (65 percent). … Hague’s goal was his first in nine games with the Predators since he was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30. … Hintz has two goals in two games after missing the previous five with an undisclosed injury.