NASHVILLE — Viktor Arvidsson scored a hat trick on National Hat Day, and the Nashville Predators routed the Washington Capitals 7-2 Tuesday night to snap a two-game skid.
Arvidsson scored the opening goal of the game and added two more in the second period for the second hat trick of his career. He has nine goals and two assists in 11 games since returning Dec. 27 from a broken thumb.
Nick Bonino scored twice, and Rocco Grimaldi and Calle Jarnkrok each added a goal as 12 players contributed at least one point for the Predators. They set a season high for goals, topping the six they scored Dec. 31 in a win at Washington, the defending Stanley Cup champion.
Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Johansen each had two assists, and Juuse Saros made 26 saves for the win.
Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie scored for the Capitals.
Braden Holtby dressed for Washington but missed his second consecutive game after being poked in the eye during a loss to Columbus on Saturday. That left Pheonix Copley starting his second game in two nights, and the Capitals have lost three straight.
Arvidsson scored on a partial breakaway 3:45 in, beating Copley just below his glove. Bonino finished off a cross-ice pass from Colton Sissons for a 2-0 lead midway through the first.
Arvidsson then started a four-goal second, tipping in a shot by P.K. Subban 1:21 into the period. Backstrom pulled Washington to 3-1 at 7:07, and the Capitals appeared to have momentum after hitting a couple of posts and going back on the man advantage when Jarnkrok tripped Oshie.
But Arvidsson broke away and slid the puck under Copley’s pads for a 4-1 lead that had fans tossing hats onto the ice at 12:08.
That wasn’t all. Grimaldi finished off his goal with a spinning backhander , and Bonino tipped in his second with 5.8 seconds left in the period to make it 6-1.
Jarnkrok padded the lead at 7:56 of the third.
NOTES: The Predators have a franchise-record five hat tricks this season, all by different players. Arvidsson joined Filip Forsberg, Sissons, Jarnkrok and Austin Watson. … Ekholm’s assists gave him a career-high 36 points this season. … Nashville improved to 22-2-1 when scoring first. … Oshie skated in his 700th career game.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Host the New York Islanders on Friday night.
Predators: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
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Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press