JIM DIAMOND
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Calgary escaped Nashville with two points, mostly thanks to Karri Ramo.
Joe Colborne scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Flames to a 3-2 win over the Predators Tuesday night.
T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano also scored for Calgary, which improved its record to 2-2-0.
“I love having the puck on my stick,” Colborne said. “There’s no better feeling than knowing the game could be on the line. Some guys like that and I’m one of them.”
Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro scored for Nashville, which suffered its first loss of the season.
Forsberg scored the game’s first goal at 8:46 of the opening period. From the high slot, Derek Roy sent a pass toward Forsberg at the left faceoff dot, where beat Ramo with a one-timer for his first goal of the season.
“It’s good to score an early goal if the process is right,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. “For me, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m looking at the process more and how we played the game and the things we’re doing. That’s the area that we need to be better at. I would have traded the first goal for a better process.”
Ramo had 19 saves in regulation and overtime and denied all three Nashville shooters in the shootout.
“I know it’s early in the season, by far this is our best effort,” Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. “Overall, 65 minutes, really proud of the guys. Everyone worked real hard. They were coming strong, but we always had answers to counterattack.”
Ramo’s best save of the night came with 12:50 remaining in the third when he denied Smith from point-blank range with a sliding glove save at the tail end of a 2-on-1 with Forsberg with only defenseman Kris Russell back.
“Our D played it really good, he took basically the guy with the puck (so) he didn’t have any chance to score,” Ramo said. “He made him move to the backhand and out of scoring angle and I was able to read it. He put it right in my glove.”
Brodie tied the game just over a minute later when he drove the left side and his backhander went up the stick of Predators defenseman Anton Volchenkov and over the shoulder of goaltender Pekka Rinne.
Giordano gave Calgary its first lead at 5:19 of the second on a power-play goal.
With Nashville’s Colin Wilson off serving an interference minor, Giordano’s wrist shot from the top of the left circle beat Rinne on the short side.
Ribeiro tied the game at 2 at 15:10 of the second.
Smith’s shot from above the left circle hit traffic in front then caromed to Ribeiro who was on the right post and scored his first goal as a Predator.
“It felt good in the moment to be able to score that goal and tie the game and break the ice,” Ribeiro said. “I’d rather not score and win games and hopefully create more offense now and help the team win.”
After the Arizona Coyotes bought out Ribeiro’s contract in the offseason, the Predators took a chance on the 34-year-old center, signing him to a one-year deal.
Notes: Colborne played in his 100th career NHL game … Brodie and Giordano each had their first multi-point games of the season. Roy has an assist in each of Nashville’s games this season. … Nashville concluded their season-opening three-game homestand. They now head on the road for a back-to-back set in Winnipeg and Chicago Friday and Saturday.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
