Capitals hold on in Nashville for 4-3 road win

Washington left Nashville with two points Thursday night, beating the Predators 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena in a game that went back and forth before the Capitals finally pulled clear in the third.

Filip Forsberg opened the scoring in the first with a slap shot, his fourth of the year, set up by Ryan O'Reilly and Roman Josi. The Capitals answered fast. Cole Hutson beat the Nashville goaltender with a wrist shot to tie it, with Jack St. Ivany and Pierre-Luc Dubois picking up the assists.

The second period was the whole game in miniature. Boone Jenner put Washington ahead, converting a wrist shot with Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary assisting. Then Forsberg struck again, his fifth of the season, to level it at two. Hutson responded. His second goal of the night, a snap shot, came with Protas and St. Ivany helping out, and it gave Washington a 3-2 edge heading to the third.

Nashville would not fold. Ross Colton wired a wrist shot past the Washington netminder early in the third, with Adam Edstrom and Josi on the assists, knotting the game at three.

Then Alex Tuch ended it. His tenth goal of the season, a wrist shot off passes from Jordan Kyrou and Jakob Chychrun, was the difference.

Hutson was the story for Washington. Two goals, four points on the night between those tallies and his team-leading two assists, all while playing on a blue line that continues to produce offense. Protas was just behind him with two assists.

Josi did everything Nashville asked. Three assists, the best individual night on either side, but the Predators fell to 4-4-5 with the loss. Washington sits at 8-4-0 with 16 points.

Tuch's goal with Kyrou and Chychrun involved was the one that went on the board in the end.