Brad Richardson scored on a rebound in overtime, Darcy Kuemper stopped 49 shots and the Arizona Coyotes advanced in the postseason for the first time in eight years with a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday.
The Coyotes, the Western Conference's No. 11 seed, took a 2-0 lead early in the second period. But they allowed Nashville to tie it before going ahead 3-2 on Jordan Oesterle’s goal early in the third.
Click to Gallery
Brad Richardson scored on a rebound in overtime, Darcy Kuemper stopped 49 shots and the Arizona Coyotes advanced in the postseason for the first time in eight years with a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday.
Richardson won it after he redirected Vinnie Hinostroz's shot and punched in the rebound past Saros to help the Coyotes win the Stanley Cup qualifier series 3-1.
Matt Duchene also scored and Saros stopped 30 shots for the Predators, who bowed out of the postseason as the West's No. 6 seed.
Game 4 played out the same way.
The Predators came back to life on a power play a few minutes later, when Duchene redirected a shot by Josi past Kuemper from just outside the crease.
Nashville pulled goalie Juuse Saros late in the period and Filip Forsberg tied it with 32 seconds left on a one-timer after Roman Josi kept the puck in Arizona's zone.
Nashville Predators' Mikael Granlund (64) is stopped by Arizona Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper (35) as Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) defends during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Richardson won it after he redirected Vinnie Hinostroz's shot and punched in the rebound past Saros to help the Coyotes win the Stanley Cup qualifier series 3-1.
Michael Grabner and Phil Kessel also scored for Arizona, which faces Colorado or Vegas in the next round after advancing in the postseason for the first time since reaching the 2012 Western Conference finals.
Viktor Arvidsson scored for the third straight game before taking a shot to the ribs and leaving late in the second period, leaving Nashville without one of its top-line forwards.
Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros (74) is scored on as Arizona Coyotes' Brad Richardson (15) and Predators' Filip Forsberg (9) battle in front of the net during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Matt Duchene also scored and Saros stopped 30 shots for the Predators, who bowed out of the postseason as the West's No. 6 seed.
The Coyotes took control of the series with a 4-1 win in Game 3 behind Kuemper's 39 saves and three goals in the third period.
Predators outshot the Coyotes 11-1 to start, but Arizona scored first on Christian Dvorak's redirect late the first period.
Nashville Predators' Viktor Arvidsson (33) is cross checked by Arizona Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper (35) during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Game 4 played out the same way.
Nashville had nine of the first 10 shots, including one by Ryan Ellis that clanged off the post. Kuemper made some spectaculars saves during the flurry — 16 in the period — and Grabner beat Saros to the glove side with a wrister from the right circle.
Arizona kept the momentum going early in the second period, scoring 98 seconds in when Kessel beat Saros under his stick blocker after Nashville's goalie turned it over in his own end.
Nashville Predators' Austin Watson (51) is checked by Arizona Coyotes' Christian Dvorak (18) during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
The Predators came back to life on a power play a few minutes later, when Duchene redirected a shot by Josi past Kuemper from just outside the crease.
Arvidsson tied it with his third goal of the series, one-timing a pass from Ellis to beat Kuemper from the left faceoff dot.
The Coyotes buzzed to start the third period and Oesterle put Arizona up 3-2 on a shot from the right circle Saros couldn't see through traffic.
Nashville Predators' Viktor Arvidsson (33) and Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun (6) battle for the puck during first period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Kuemper withstood a flurry of shots in the final two minutes before Forsberg sent it to overtime from near the left faceoff dot for his third goal of the series.
NOTES: The Coyotes were without C Nick Schmaltz due to a head injury for the fourth straight game. ... Nashville is 6-13 in elimination games. ... Arizona backup goalie Antti Raanta missed his second straight game after suffering an injury in warmups before Game 2.
UP NEXT
Arizona will play Colorado or Vegas in the next round.
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports