Predators edge Flames on late goal in testy matchup

Defenseman Nicolas Hague scored with 29 seconds left in regulation to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 win over the host Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

Erik Haula scored twice in his 800th NHL game and Michael Bunting collected a goal and three assists for the Predators, who have won six of their last eight. Steven Stamkos contributed two assists, but limped off the ice after blocking a shot in the closing seconds.

Juuse Saros stopped 20 shots for the win.

Hague blasted in a screened shot from the left point for the winner.

Blake Coleman and defensemen Yan Kuznetsov and Rasmus Andersson scored for the Flames, who lost for only the second time in their last seven games. Matt Coronato had two assists and Dustin Wolf made 32 saves.

Coleman tied it 3-3 with 7:11 left in regulation. He put a shot through Saros from the bottom of the right circle after a giveaway by Brady Skjei in his own zone.

Bunting capitalized on a misplay by Wolf to give Nashville a 3-2 lead 4:08 into the second. Bunting intercepted Wolf's pass from behind the net and ripped a shot into the open net from the right circle.

Haula hit the goal post with about a minute left in the middle period.

The Predators had a 13-3 shot advantage in the second.

Calgary's John Beecher left after a fight with Hague 9:52 into the second.

It was 2-2 after an eventful and chippy first period.

Andersson's goal tied the game at 2 with 6:19 left in the first.

Haula scored goals 1:33 apart to give Nashville a 2-1 lead. He tied it with 8:41 remaining in the first and put the Predators ahead with 7:08 left.

Kuznetsov scored the game's first goal 1:56 in.

Calgary's Mikael Backlund appeared to make it 2-0 at 7:40, but after Nashville's challenge, the goal was overturned for being offside.

There was a lengthy scrum around a fight between the Flames' Ryan Lomborg and the Predators' Cole Smith with 6:45 remaining in the opening stanza.

--Field Level Media