Shea Weber scored in the third period of his return to Nashville and Max Pacioretty had a goal late in overtime, helping the Montreal Canadiens beat the Predators 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Weber helped send it to overtime with his tying goal at 4:26 of the third. This was the first game between these teams since a stunning blockbuster trade last June, when they swapped All-Star defencemen, with the Predators getting P.K. Subban.
Carey Price made 22 saves for his first win in four games.
Kevin Fiala scored and Pekka Rinne made 41 saves to help the Predators snap a three-game losing streak against Montreal.
Subban was placed on injured reserve Sunday and missed his eighth game with an upper-body injury. Subban was announced earlier Tuesday as the fans' choice as Central Division captain for the NHL All-Star Game.
With Subban out, Weber had the spotlight as a Nashville draft pick who served as captain from 2010 until the trade.
The Predators honoured Weber, who just played his 800th career NHL game on Saturday night, with a video tribute during the first TV timeout, and fans gave him a standing ovation. Weber peaked at the video a couple times and looked emotional, waving to the crowd before raising his stick as he skated onto the ice for his next shift.
Fans weren't finished. They chanted “Thank you Weber” for a minute or so into that shift.
The Canadiens nearly went ahead on a second-chance try in the second period after Rinne stopped an initial shot at the right post. Nathan Beaulieu skated behind the net and tried a wraparound only to have Rinne slide back to his left and smother the puck with his glove at the post at 14:48.
Price couldn't stop Fiala, whose shot went off Beaulieu's stick and past the goalie at 19:06 of the second for his sixth this season and a 1-0 lead.
Alexander Radulov, another former Nashville player, was booed every time he stepped on the ice. He finished with two assists, the first when he drew the Predators to him before passing the puck out to Weber all alone in the slot for his 10th goal this season. Radulov also found Pacioretty, who scored his 16th goal for the win.
Notes: This was the 3,300th road game in Montreal's history in the NHA and NHL combined. ... Montreal left wing Paul Byron played his 100th career game with the Canadiens. ... Nashville snapped a streak of nine straight games with at least a point against the Canadiens. ... Montreal improved to 4-6 in overtime. Nashville dropped to 1-7.
UP NEXT
Canadians: Continue their seven-game trip at Dallas on Wednesday night.
Predators: Start three-game trip at Tampa Bay on Thursday night.