Pekka Rinne scores 1st goalie goal since 2013 to cement Hynes’ 1st win with Preds

Pekka Rinne made 29 saves and scored an empty-net goal, and the Nashville Predators beat the sloppy Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Thursday night for John Hynes’ first win with the team.

Hynes became the third coach in franchise history after Peter Laviolette was fired on Monday. Hynes dropped his debut when Nashville lost 6-2 to Boston on Tuesday night, but the Predators held off the Blackhawks in the final part of the third after nearly blowing a three-goal lead.

WATCH | Rinne rifles home 1st NHL goal:

Pekka Rinne added a first to his historic career on Thursday night as he scored into the empty net to record his first career goal, and the first in the NHL since Mike Smith in 2013.1:00

Matt Duchene, Viktor Arvidsson and Colin Blackwell also scored for Nashville, which had dropped five of six.

Nick Bonino also picked up an empty-net goal before Rinne’s shot from behind the Predators’ net went in with 22 seconds left.

The 37-year-old Rinne was mobbed by his teammates after his first goal and 14th career point in the NHL.

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