Second-period burst carries Mammoth past Predators
Kailer Yamamoto and Barrett Hayton each had a goal and an assist as the Utah Mammoth earned 5-2 win over the host Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Clayton Keller, Michael Carcone and JJ Peterka also scored goals for the Mammoth, who have points in nine straight (8-0-1). Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had three assists, Sean Durzi and Dylan Guenther each had two assists and Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots.
Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault scored goals for the Predators, who lost for the third time in four games. Juuse Saros made 26 saves.
Marchessault brought Nashville to within 3-2 with 3:21 remaining in the second period when he connected from the left circle.
Hayton's third-period power-play goal with 8:58 remaining restored the two-goal lead after he put in a rebound.
Peterka was awarded an empty-net goal when he was interfered with on a breakaway toward an open net with 1:32 left.
Utah scored three times in a 5:10 span in the second to take a 3-1 lead.
Keller beat Saros from the bottom of the left circle three minutes into the middle period, Carcone also put one in from the left circle to finish a rush down the wing at 5:13 and Yamamato tipped in a shot at 8:10. Yamamoto replaced Lawson Crouse, who was out due to illness.
Stamkos' power-play goal 3:43 into the game gave Nashville a 1-0 lead. It was the 607th goal of Stamkos' career, one behind Dino Ciccarelli, who is 20th all-time. The goal was also Stamkos' 236th on the power-play, which ties him with Mario Lemieux for eighth all-time.
Predators' captain defenseman Roman Josi, who had an assist, was honored in a ceremony before the game for playing in his 1,000th game on Thursday night. He is the first to play 1,000 games with the Predators.
Josi has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last seven games.
Nashville defenseman Adam Wilsby returned after missing four games with a lower-body injury. He replaced defenseman Nicolas Hague in the lineup. Hague is week-to-week with a lower-body injury game.
The contest began two hours earlier than originally scheduled due to expected inclement weather.