NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Once again the Devils struggled to close out a game in regulation, and this time it cost them.
Shea Weber scored two goals, including at 1:29 of overtime, and the Predators rallied late to beat the Devils 3-2 on Friday night.
The Devils, who lost a goal lead before beating the Stars in overtime Thursday night, got a goal and an assist from Patrik Elias. Jaromir Jagr also had a goal, the 698th of his career, but it wasn’t enough.
New Jersey, which beat Nashville 5-0 at the Prudential Center on Nov. 10, wrapped up a three-game road trip against the Western Conference with their second game in as many nights.
“It’s tough two nights in a row … giving up a lead in the last minute, and we should’ve had an extra point tonight again,” goalie Cory Schneider said.
Predators forward David Legwand scored with 10.8 seconds remaining in regulation with goalie Carter Hutton on the bench to force the extra period. Hutton, who struggled giving up the two goals to New Jersey, stopped Michael Ryder on a breakaway 80 seconds into overtime to keep the game tied.
Then Colin Wilson took the puck back the other way and drove toward the net before dropping the puck off to Weber, who beat Schneider with a wrister from the left circle.
“We played four games in six nights,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. “We got an unfortunate bounce at the end, and we’ll take the point and move on.”
Nashville is glad their captain Weber managed to play with an upper body injury that sent him out of their previous game.
“It’s going to take a lot to keep him out of a hockey game,” Legwand said of the big defenseman. “He loves playing the game and shows that over the course of his career. He was big for us tonight. Obviously on the first one and in overtime, two huge goals.”
Weber didn’t practice Thursday and was a game-time decision after leaving Tuesday night’s win in Winnipeg early in the third period. Nashville coach Barry Trotz said Weber deciding to play made all the difference.
“He’s one of the best at his position plain and simple,” Trotz said. “He’s our building block, and he’s a difference maker in this business. There aren’t too many guys at his level.”