Preds sink Jackets on Jonathan Marchessault’s OT goal

Jonathan Marchessault scored the overtime winner as the Nashville Predators edged the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Saturday night.

Filip Forsberg, Cole Smith and Alexandre Carrier also scored for Nashville, which won three straight after starting the season with five consecutive losses.

Goaltender Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves for his first win of the season and second career win over the Blue Jackets.

Kirill Marchenko, Zachary Aston-Reese and Zach Werenski responded for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped two of their last three games.

Daniil Tarasov stopped 29 shots and is winless in three career appearances against Nashville.

Marchessault deked around Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson and toe-dragged past Yegor Chinakhov before beating Tarasov five-hole for his second of the season at 1:44 of overtime.

The two teams exchanged three goals in the first 4:09 of the third.

Nashville tied it 2-2 just 26 seconds into the period as Smith put a Michael McCarron feed between the pads of Tarasov for his first of the season.

Werenski gave Columbus a 3-2 lead at 3:07 of the third, beating Wedgewood with a slap shot from the top of the faceoff circle for his third of the season.

The Predators responded at 1:02 later as Carrier put a shot from the point past Tarasov for his first of the season. Zachary L’Heureux picked up his first NHL point with his assist on the goal.

The Blue Jackets led 2-1 after 40 minutes.

Marchenko opened the scoring at 3:53 of the second period, snapping a shot glove-side past Tarasov for his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Aston-Reese doubled Columbus’ lead at 6:40 of the middle frame, tapping in a Mathieu Olivier feed past Tarasov for his second of the season.

Forsberg got Nashville on the board at 10:40 of the second, beating Tarasov glove-side with a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the season, extending his point streak to six games.

Saturday was the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Nashville will travel to Columbus on April 1 to conclude the season series.

–Field Level Media