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 Following fellow defenseman Ryan Ellis up ice on a breakaway, he
assumed where the rebound would be — if there were one.
Sure enough, Jones scored on a tap-in with 1:11 left in the extra
session as the Predators snapped a four game losing streak with a
4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
"I was just backing it up," Jones said of the Ellis breakaway. "At
first I thought Ellie was moving over to create a two-on-none, but
he's great at shootouts. I knew that move was coming. I knew if he
missed it, it would be laying right there. It was kind of a gift
there."
The win kept alive the Predators' slim playoff hopes in the West,
while the Senators aided their postseason chances in the East by
salvaging a point.
Center Jason Spezza's goal with 1:07 remaining in regulation capped
Ottawa's third-period comeback from a 3-0 deficit. Defensemen Jared
Cowen and Marc Methot had the other Ottawa goals.
Spezza also recorded two assists, giving him his second three-point
game in a row. Senators winger Ales Hemsky added three assists to
give him six helpers in the past two games.
"We had a tough first two periods," Hemsky said. "I think we didn't
skate or forecheck hard enough, and we didn't put the pucks on the
net. In the third, we got pucks on the net, we were active and we
were much better.
"In the end, we battled hard back, and it shows a lot of character
in the room. We could have two points, but in that situation, I'd
take one at least."
Nashville's regulation goals, all scored in the second period, were
off the sticks of centers Nick Spaling and Craig Smith and winger
Eric Nystrom.
Senators starting goalie Craig Anderson left the game at 4:10 of the
third period after he was bumped in the head by backchecking
teammate Milan Michalek. Anderson stopped 26 of 29 shots before
being replaced by Robin Lehner, who wound up stopping 12 of 13
shots.
"We weren't particularly strong in the second, I guess, but from
that point forward, to be down 3-0 going into the third and come
back and get something out of the game, you've got to be pleased
with that part of it," Senators coach Paul MacLean said. "We'd like
to start games the way we finished it."
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The Predators, who scored three goals in their previous four games,
finally provided some offensive support for goalie Pekka Rinne, who
picked up his first win since returning from injury. He made 34
saves.
"They just got a lot of momentum after that first goal, especially
that one line," said Rinne, referring to the Michalek-Spezza-Hemsky
unit. "Any time they were on the ice, they seemed to get some
chances. A few lucky bounces tonight, too.
"But it was good to get (finished) with that four-game losing
streak. It's been tough. It was a big win in the overtime. But
there's no denying going into the third with a three-goal lead you
have to be able to maintain it and come out with a regular-time
win."
NOTES: Senators D Cody Ceci left the game near the midway mark of
the first period after suffering a laceration behind the right ear
when hit by a slap shot off the stick of Predators D Shea Weber.
Ottawa played the rest of the game with five blue-liners. ... After
making his fourth consecutive start since returning from a hip
injury, Predators G Pekka Rinne will get a rest Tuesday in Buffalo.
Predators G Carter Hutton will get the start vs. the Sabres. ...
Senators LW Clarke MacArthur missed his second game with a hand
injury suffered in a fight last week in Calgary. Considered the most
consistent player on the team this season, MacArthur could return to
action Saturday in Montreal, coach Paul MacLean said Monday. ... The
second-period goal by Predators LW Eric Nystrom marked the 100th
point of his 470-game career.
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