Defensemen spark Predators' offense in win over Lightning

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh had a goal with an assist against his former team and Juuse Saros made 32 saves as the surging Nashville Predators won 5-1 over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.

Fellow defenseman Roman Josi also posted a goal with an assist, while Filip Forsberg, Juuso Parssinen and Yakov Trenin also scored for Nashville, which has won three straight and nine of 11.

McDonagh, who spent parts of five seasons and won two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay before joining the Predators in 2022-23, notched his first goal of the season and his second two-point contest.

Saros was stout while earning his seventh win in eight starts. He played a key role in helping Nashville kill all four Tampa Bay power plays.

Alex Barre-Boulet scored and Jonas Johansson made 25 saves for the Lightning, who have been outscored 20-4 during a four-game slide on the road. Tampa Bay began a five-game trip on Thursday.

Some nifty Lightning passing led to the game's first goal with 6:28 remaining in the opening period. Anthony Cirelli got the play going with a backhand pass into the slot for Brandon Hagel to send over for Barre-Boulet to finish.

Nashville leveled the contest with 2:46 remaining in the first. On a power play, McDonagh sent the puck toward the net, teammate Philip Tomasino got a piece, then Parssinen converted while alone in front of Johansson.

The Predators struck again on the power play just 2:37 into the second. From a faceoff win, Forsberg got the puck at the right point, then sent in a seeing-eye snap shot through traffic for his 14th goal.

Less than two minutes later, Nashville again scored. After the Predators' Colton Sissons missed twice, McDonagh backhanded in the long rebound.

Meanwhile, Saros stopped all 14 shots he faced in the second, including a flurry in the final minute when Nashville killed the final of three Tampa Bay power plays in the period.

Josi added a wrister from the top of the circle at 6:11 of the third period before Trenin produced an empty-netter at 13:13.