Predators use quick burst to subdue Blackhawks, even series
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Filip Forsberg, Craig Smith and Mike Santorelli scored in a span of 2:19 late in the third period to blow open a close game, and Nashville claimed a 6-2 victory over Chicago in Game 2 of this Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Smith led the way with two goals and one assist for the Predators, who locked things down after wasting an early 3-0 lead in Wednesday's series-opening, 4-3, double-overtime setback.
Colin Wilson and Roman Josi also lit the lamp, Mike Ribeiro picked up two helpers and Pekka Rinne halted 24 pucks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Right now I think we are plying good hockey," Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said. "Going into Chicago is a big task for our group."
Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane scored once each for the Blackhawks, who can regain momentum back at United Center in Game 3 on Sunday afternoon.
"It's a playoff series and things are going to be tough," said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. "We just gave up a few too many odd-man rushes and scoring chances."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Corey Crawford was shelled for the second straight outing, but finished this one having surrendered all six goals on 35 shots.
"It's one of those nights where pucks were going in on him," Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville said of Crawford.
A potential dagger for the hosts by Calle Jarnkrok was waved off after replay showed Santorelli made contact with Crawford before the puck entered the net less than two minutes into the third.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nashville eventually took a two-goal lead at 12:41 when Forsberg went to the net and followed up a miss that Crawford mishandled and Keith failed to clear.
It was 5-2 only 1:47 later as Smith burst up the middle sprung by a Forsberg pass and scored on an off-balance shot that trickled through the crook of Crawford's left arm.
Santorelli then atoned for his earlier mistake, adding another shot from in tight to extend the Preds' edge to four just 32 seconds hence.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wilson struck for his third score of the series, giving the Preds a lead on a shot under the crossbar from a sharp angle on the right wing to cap the game's first power play 2:47 after the initial drop of the puck.
Sharp tied the game on a delayed penalty call with 3:47 remaining in the first period, spinning around in the slot after receiving a Niklas Hjalmarsson lead pass and beating Rinne under the crossbar.
As the clock ticked down inside a minute left, Crawford made three quick stops on Josi, including two when the Preds defenseman batted the puck out of the air at the right post.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Josi gained his revenge, managing to sneak a rising shot home from the right wing with 3.6 ticks showing.
Sharp remained possessed in the middle frame, ripping a long shot off the crossbar near the midway point, then helping set up Kane's game-tying shot from the left wing at 10:32.
Smith put one upstairs on his second-chance effort off a Cody Franson point drive and the hosts took a 3-2 lead with 5:06 to play in the second.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
Predators forward Mike Fisher was scratched with a lower-body injury sustained in Game 1 and is officially listed as day-to-day ... Nashville defenseman Shea Weber left the game in the second period and did not return with a lower-body injury ... Sharp's goal was his 40th career playoff marker, and 39th for Chicago ... Crawford, who backstopped the Blackhawks to the 2013 Cup championship, has given up nine goals on 47 shots over four periods thus far.