David Legwand’s goal 28 seconds into overtime gives Predators 2-1 win over Blue Jackets

Legwand’s OT goal lifts Predators over Jackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio — David Legwand scored 28 seconds into overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

Joel Ward, who also assisted on Andreas Thuresson’s tying goal in the third period, stole the puck from defenseman Mathieu Roy to the left of the net. Ward tapped a pass backward to Legwand in the low slot for his ninth of the season.

The Predators are 22-2-1 against the Blue Jackets over the last four years.

Dan Ellis had 31 saves for the Predators. The only goal he surrendered was to Raffi Torres in the first period.

Mathieu Garon stopped 27 shots, but both Predators goals came as a result of giveaways by Columbus in the defensive zone.

Nashville won for the second time this season when trailing after two periods (2-10-1).

With Columbus maintaining a 1-0 lead with 7:21 left, the Predators tied it on a giveaway by Fedor Tyutin. The defenseman flicked a pass behind his net directly to Ward, who zipped a pass to Thuresson alone in the slot. The rookie, playing in his 14th game, faked and easily scored his first NHL goal.

A minute later, Rick Nash’s shot from the right wing slipped between Ellis’ pads but hit off the far post and ricocheted away from the net.

The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead 6:02 in when four players touched the puck in a span of 5 seconds. Jakub Voracek worked his way through traffic, passed the puck to Antoine Vermette, who fed it back to Voracek. Ellis got a piece of Voracek’s shot, and the puck bounced behind Ellis near the goal line. Torres then dived to jam it in for his 10th goal.

Less than a minute later, Ryan Jones carried the puck from the right circle and saucered a pass to Jason Arnott at the right doorstep, but Garon recovered to smother the puck.

Later in the period, the Blue Jackets almost got another goal out of the same combination of players. Vermette got the puck to Torres, who was alone with an open net but was unable to control a rolling puck. His shot went off the near post.

NOTES: Columbus RW Mike Blunden cleared waivers. … The Predators were without RW Martin Erat (knee). … Columbus D Mike Commodore, two years into a five-year, $18.75 million contract, was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. … Nashville improved to 39-11-1-4 against Columbus.