NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In an exciting overtime finish, Brayden Point netted a power-play goal just one minute and one second into the extra period, sealing a 3-2 win for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Nashville Predators on Friday afternoon.

Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel also contributed to the score sheet for Tampa Bay, while goalie Jonas Johansson recorded 29 saves. This victory marks the Lightning’s second win out of their last three games.

For the Predators, Roman Josi was the standout, scoring both of Nashville’s goals, while Juuse Saros, the team’s goaltender, made 25 stops. Unfortunately, the Predators have now suffered three consecutive losses.

Josi kicked off the scoring in the game at 1:12 of the first period with a wrist shot that managed to weave through traffic and beat Johansson on the high side. However, Tampa Bay responded quickly, with Cirelli equalizing at 4:06 of the second period by scoring a shorthanded goal.

Earlier in the game, Cirelli had to leave the ice after taking a shot to the face from teammate Erik Cernak. He returned to the ice later in the first period sporting a full face shield. Despite seeing his six-game goal streak come to an end against Washington on Wednesday, Cirelli’s tally on Friday marked his impressive eighth goal in as many games.

Takeaways from the game include the fact that Johansson improved his win-loss record to 2-1-1 this season as a backup goaltender. His ability to secure victories in games where Andrei Vasilevskiy is absent is crucial for Tampa Bay’s playoff aspirations.

On the flip side, despite collecting two points from back-to-back overtime losses, the Predators are still struggling. With a slow start to the season, they need to convert these close games into wins to boost their playoff chances.

A significant moment in the match occurred when Saros made a remarkable save against Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel, who was left unmarked on the right side with 9:23 left in the third period. His instincts kept the score tied at 2-2.

In terms of statistics, Josi, a former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, had previously netted just one goal in the first 18 games this season. However, he has now erupted for five goals in his last four outings, having scored the first goal in three of those four games.

Looking ahead, the Lightning are set to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, while the Predators will make their way to face the Minnesota Wild, also on Saturday.