NHL roundup: Predators clinch playoff berth
Field Level Media
09 May 2021, 14:55 GMT+10
Luke Kunin scored two goals and the host Nashville Predators sealed a playoff spot with a 3-1 win over the Central Division champion Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
Predators goaltender Juuse Saros made 21 saves and held a shutout into the third period in what was a preview of a first-round postseason series. The teams conclude the regular season with a rematch Monday night in Nashville.
Kunin scored in the second and third periods for a 2-0 Predators lead. Mikael Granlund assisted on both goals.
Carolina s goal came from Morgan Geekie less than 1 1/2 minutes after Kunin s second goal, but Erik Haula sealed the outcome with an empty-net tally. Carolina goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 27 saves while taking a loss in regulation for the first time in his past nine outings.
Max Domi nets the winner as Columbus captures the season finale by Jeff Svoboda @JacketsInsider / BlueJackets.com
The Blue Jackets won a 5-4 final against Detroit in overtime on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena in the last game of the season.
Game in a Paragraph
Fittingly enough for teams that entered the game just one point apart in the standings, the two squads played an even game, one that was tied 1-1 after a period and 2-2 after two. Following suit, it was 3-3 in the third and then 4-4 later in the frame. That meant overtime, where Max Domi ripped home the winner with 20.4 seconds left to go.
Luke Kunin scored two goals and the host Nashville Predators sealed a playoff spot with a 3-1 win over the Central Division champion Carolina Hurrican.
Calvin Pickard got the start in net. Jakub Vrana put the Wings up early, but Cam Atkinson took advantage of being left alone to tie the game in the first period. Danny DeKeyser scored for the second time in two games when he fired a shot that snuck underneath Matiss Kivlenieks’ left arm, but Oliver Bjorkstrand scored less than two minutes later.
With Columbus Max Domi serving a penalty for roughing Gustav Lindstrom, the Blue Jackets converted on a shorthanded goal by Eric Robinson , but the Wings also converted, with Sam Gagner scoring a power play goal to tie the game 3-3 .