Wild 3 - 2 Predators
Final - OT
  for this game

Dubnyk, Wild take winning ways to Nashville

Mar 17, 2015 - 2:58 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Devan Dubnyk and the Minnesota Wild continue to establish the club as serious playoff contenders in the Western Conference.

The once-mighty Nashville Predators suddenly look vulnerable.

The Wild look to extend their excellent run on Tuesday night and hand the slumping Preds another defeat in a matchup of clubs heading in the opposite direction.

Minnesota picked up its seventh victory in nine games on Saturday, topping the St. Louis Blues, 3-1. Dubnyk again stole the show with a 41-save performance, improving to 20-5-1 with a 1.66 goals against average and .939 save percentage since being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 14.

Dubnyk made his 27th straight start and bounced back from a tough 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks the previous day, while Nino Niederreiter and Kyle Brodziak scored in a 17-second span in the latter stages of the third period to give Minnesota control

Thomas Vanek also scored for the Wild, who own a three-point lead for a wild card spot and are five points behind the Chicago Blackhawks for third place in the Central Division.

"It's a good feeling," said Brodziak. "We're in a good spot."

Dubnyk is 5-3-2 with a 2.30 GAA and .926 save percentage in his career versus the Predators, who have lost eight of their past 10 and find themselves tied with the Blues for first place in the Central Division. The clubs have 93 points each, but Nashville has played two more games than St. Louis, which visits the Calgary Flames on Tuesday evening.

Taylor Beck and Roman Josi gave the Predators a two-goal lead in the second period of Sunday's clash with Anaheim, but the Ducks ripped off four goals in the final frame to hand Nashville a 4-2 loss.

Pekka Rinne had 24 saves for the Predators, who split a four-game road trip and will play their next three at home.

"In the last 20 minutes, we completely got away from what we were doing for the first 40. They picked up their game and [our] response was not good," Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said.

Josi's goal was his 12th of the season, one shy of his career high he established last season.

Rinne is likely to start tonight and is 11-5-2 lifetime versus the Wild with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage and three shutouts.

The Predators had won three in a row over the Wild before a 4-2 loss at home to them on Feb. 26. It was Minnesota's third victory in its past four at Nashville as Niederreiter scored twice and Dubnyk came up with 27 saves.

Mike Fisher had a goal and an assist and Rinne posted 26 saves.

Wild defenseman Nate Prosser is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and will be replaced in the lineup by Christian Folin.

The Predators have been without forward James Neal for consecutive games due to an upper-body issue and he is questionable for tonight.






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