Steven Stamkos Nets Hat Trick as Nashville Predators Defeat Chicago Blackhawks in OT
Steven Stamkos recorded his 14th career hat trick to lift the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday at Bridgestone Arena.
After snapping his career-long 13-game streak without a point, Stamkos has since recorded three straight multipoint games. He has eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in that span.
Justus Annunen made 17 saves for the Predators, who have won three straight. Chicago net minder Arvid Soderblom turned aside 38 shots in the loss.
How the Predators Lined Up vs. Chicago
Stamkos-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Forsberg-Sissons-Marchessault
Smith-Svechkov-Vrana
McCarron-Bellows
Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Stastney
Englund-Barron
Oesterle
Annunen
Saros
IR: L'Heureux, Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby, Bunting
The Predators iced 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Blackhawks. Forward Zachary L'Heureux (upper-body, week-to-week) took line rushes with Michael McCarron and Kieffer Bellows at morning skate, but will not yet return to Nashville's lineup.
Forward Jakub Vrana and defenseman Jordan Oesterle – claimed off waivers Thursday from the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, respectively – made their Predators debuts in Saturday's contest. Michael Bunting, acquired via trade Wednesday from the Pittsburgh Penguins, remains on IR after undergoing an appendectomy last week.
Steven Stamkos, Nashville PredatorsPredators vs. Blackhawks: Live Updates
First Period (CHI 0, NSH 0)
Soderblom was tested early and often, with Nashville dominating possession and holding a 17-6 shot advantage in the first period. The Predators got one opportunity on the man advantage on an Ilya Mikheyev holding penalty but couldn't cash in.
Luke Evangelista led the Predators with three shots in the first period, but the game remained scoreless after 20.
Second Period (CHI 1, NSH 2)
The Blackhawks struck first early in the second period on a strange bounce in front of the Nashville net. Alex Vlasic's shot deflected off of Predators forward Ryan O'Reilly and slipped past Annunen to make it 1-0 at 1:56 of the second period.
The Predators caught a break less than a minute later, however, when Jonathan Marchessault drew a four-minute high sticking call on Alec Martinez to give Nashville a four-minute power play. It took just 15 seconds on the man advantage for Steven Stamkos to score his 19th goal of the season and tie the game at 1-1.
Nashville broke the tie at the 12:20 mark, when Ryan O'Reilly retrieved the puck from behind the Chicago net and fed it to Stamkos for his second goal of the night to give the Predators their first lead of the game.
Third Period (CHI 2, NSH 2)
Mikheyev made Chicago's second shot of the period count with a one-timer from the slot to tie the game at the 7:38 mark.
OT (CHI 2, NSH 3)
Stamkos scored the game-winner to complete the hat trick with a one-timer from the left face-off circle off a pass from Fedor Svechkov.
NHL Milestone Alert: Steven Stamkos
- Stamkos' first goal of the second period was the 575th of his career, moving him to 23rd on the NHL's all-time list.
- Stamkos' second goal was his 20th of the season, making him the sixth active NHL player to reach 15 20-goal seasons. He joins Alex Ovechkin (20x), Patrick Kane (16x), Sidney Crosby (16x), John Tavares (15x) and Evgeni Malkin (15x).
- Stamkos also became the third active player with 100 career multi-goal games, joining Ovechkin (178 GP) and Crosby (103 GP).
- Stamkos recorded his 14th career hat trick, passing Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and John Tavares (13 each) for sole possession of the third most among active players, behind Alex Ovechkin (32) and David Pastrnak (18).
Up Next
The Predators kick off a three-game road trip with a visit to the San Jose Sharks Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. CT.