Boyle sends Devils past Predators in shootout

Brian Boyle scored once in regulation and netted the shootout winner in the fifth round, and Keith Kinkaid made 34 saves through overtime and just enough in the showdown as the New Jersey Devils upset the Nashville Predators 3-2 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Saturday.

The loss snapped the Western Conference-leading Predators' 10-game winning streak.

Boyle netted his second game-deciding shootout tally by ripping a top-shelf offering over the shoulder of Predators goalie Juuse Saros as the Devils nearly won in regulation but regrouped and had to kill a penalty in overtime.

The win on the road was huge for New Jersey, which is in a dogfight with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots and went into the night with just one win in five games. The Devils kicked off a difficult six-game road trip.

Nashville's Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring with an unassisted goal 77 seconds into the contest. Ekholm grabbed a loose puck in the neutral zone -- pouncing on Taylor Hall's giveaway just outside the Devils' blue line -- and zipped down his off wing before beating Kinkaid with a high shot from the bottom of the right circle for his 10th goal of the season.

New Jersey's Sami Vatanen replied at the 7:13 mark of the opening frame with his fourth goal of the season. Miles Wood drove deep into the offensive zone before sending the puck back to Vatanen at the point, and he unloaded a slapper that beat Saros.

Boyle put the Devils ahead at 11:24 of the second period, just one second after a power play was complete. Boyle parked himself at the doorstep -- and made some space by giving a defenseman a cross check in the back -- where he deflected Damon Severson's chest-high point shot into the net for his 13th goal.

But Ryan Johansen forced extra action by tying the game with 66 seconds remaining in regulation. While the Preds had their goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Kinkaid stopped a Ryan Ellis point shot, but a juicy rebound came to Johansen and he made no mistake for his 11th goal of the season.

Saros made 25 saves through the overtime.

--Field Level Media