Ryan McDonagh, Predators hand Capitals rare regulation loss

Ryan McDonagh scored in the third period and the visiting Nashville Predators beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Friday.

Yakov Trenin added a goal and an assist, and Thomas Novak also scored for Nashville, while Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves to extend the Predators' winning streak to three games.

Washington had a nine-game (7-0-2) point streak snapped.

Sonny Milano and Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored for Washington. Charlie Lindgren made 18 saves in the loss.

McDonagh broke a 2-2 tie at 16:44 with his first goal of the season. The defenseman jumped into the play on a feed from Ryan Johansen and scored on a slick backhand while getting tripped.

It was also McDonagh's first goal since he joined the Predators in an offseason trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The teams combined for three goals in an entertaining first period.

Novak gave Nashville a 1-0 lead 4:10 into the first on an individual effort. Novak stole the puck in the Capitals' zone and skated in before firing a wrist shot home for his fourth goal of the season. Trenin was credited with an assist.

Milano tied the game at 1-1 at 9:52 of the period on an assist from Conor Sheary and Dmitry Orlov, tapping home a rebound for his seventh goal of the season.

Trenin restored Nashville's lead at 2-1 at 15:09 of the opening stanza, batting a bouncing puck out of midair after a wonky rebound and an initial shot by Jeremy Lauzon.

Aube-Kubel tied the game at 2-2 11:07 into the second period when he entered the zone cleanly, deked around a Predators defender and converted on a wrist shot for his second goal of the season.

Both teams were playing the second game of a back-to-back and had traveled to Washington late on Thursday evening. Despite tired legs, Nashville played a strong defensive game, blocking 21 shots and going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.