NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ Kevin Fiala had scored plenty of goals at Bridgestone Arena in his career, but never had the Wild been the beneficiaries until Tuesday.
And the timing couldn't have been better for the Wild.
The winger scored twice in his return to Nashville after a trade to the Wild on Feb. 25 for forward Mikael Granlund, including late in the third period, to help the Wild snag a point in a 5-4 shootout loss _ which extended the Wild's point streak (5-0-2) to seven games at the outset of a three-game road trip.
Although the Predators swept the home-and-home set, after they prevailed 3-2 in a shootout Sunday at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild remained in a wild card position in the Western Conference.
Like Sunday, center Ryan Johansen managed the lone shootout goal _ slowing before lifting the puck over goalie Devan Dubnyk's pad. This came after a scoreless overtime that included a fourth unsuccessful power play for the Wild. Before then, Fiala called for extra time when he used a rising shot off an offensive-zone faceoff to tie it at 4.
Dubnyk posted 21 saves, ending his personal five-game win streak. Pekka Rinne had 29 stops for the Predators.
Nashville closed out the scoring and started it, as the Wild fell behind just 1:48 into the first period when winger Craig Smith put back a rebound that bounced off Dubnyk _ a quick reward for a strong start by the Predators.
But the Wild had the edge in the second half of the frame and with 4:35 to go, Fiala evened it for his first goal with the Wild since he was traded. After pouncing on a loose puck along the boards, Fiala eluded Rinne with a short-side shot.
Not much changed in the second, with each side taking turns applying pressure, and during a Jason Zucker slashing penalty, the Predators retook the lead at 13:38 when a point shot by defenseman P.K. Subban was deflected in by winger Brian Boyle while Boyle set a screen at the top of the crease.
Nashville finished 1-1 on the power play, the 20th goal given up by the Wild's penalty kill in the last 20 games.
But like in the first, the Wild had a response and ended the second tied.
And again, another former Predators winger was behind the tally. This time, it was Pontus Aberg _ who connected on a snap shot from deep in the slot at 17:49. It was also his first goal with the Wild since he was added in a mid-January trade with the Ducks after previously suiting up for Nashville 2016-2018.
In the third, it was the Wild that converted first when winger Marcus Foligno set up center Eric Fehr for a one-timer off a behind-the-net pass at 2:25 to continue a solid effort by the Wild's fourth line.
The Wild's first lead, however, didn't last long.
Only 34 seconds later, the Predators made it 3-3 when captain Roman Josi cut to the net and lifted a forehand shot by Dubnyk.
And then at 8:21, winger Viktor Arvidsson swooped into the Wild's zone off the rush and squeezed a shot through Dubnyk.
But with Dubnyk on the bench and an extra attacker on the ice, the Wild finally pulled even again with the Predators on Fiala's second goal.
