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Preds get past Jackets in shootout

Dec 2, 2010 - 6:49 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Steve Sullivan scored the only shootout goal to lift Nashville to a 4-3 victory over division-rival Columbus.

Sullivan deked Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason completely out of his net in the shootout, and Nashville's Pekka Rinne made a save on Antoine Vermette to end the game.

Kevin Klein scored a third-period goal to tie the game for the Predators, who went on to win their second straight on the heels of a four-game slide.

Colin Wilson and Sergei Kostitsyn also scored regulation goals for Nashville and Martin Erat had two assists. Rinne made 28 saves on 31 shots for the win.

Vermette had two goals and an assist for Columbus and R.J. Umberger added two helpers to extend his points streak to a franchise-record 10 games. Mason had 26 saves and an assist, but the Blue Jackets lost their third straight game.

Mason earned his assist on Kris Russell's goal early in the third period, which tied the game at 2-2.

He came out of his net to play the puck, feeding Vermette across center ice and down the right side. Vermette centered the puck to Russell, who scored on a slap shot from the slot just after time expired on a Columbus power play.

Erat fired a shot off the crossbar midway through the third period, narrowly missing a chance to give Nashville the lead. Instead, Columbus converted an opportunity at the other end when Vermette scored his second of the game on a rebound after Rick Nash drove to the net for a shot on goal.

Nashville quickly tied the game at 3-3, however, on Klein's slap shot at 11:38 of the period.

Rinne stopped three shots in overtime, while Mason made two saves. Rinne wasn't surprised it was such a close game.

"We're two of the same kind of teams," he said. "Both play the same way, extremely hard. We just got a huge tying goal in the third."

Wilson gave Nashville a 1-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the first period, setting up his own opportunity on a tic-tac-toe play with Cal O'Reilly.

After sending the puck behind the net to his teammate, Wilson slashed in front and hammered home a bouncing pass for his fourth goal of the year.

Columbus tied the game at 1-1 on Vermette's goal at 7:11 of the second period, which he scored off a rebound in front, but Nashville regained its lead about nine minutes later when Kostitsyn re-directed an Erat pass in front.

Game Notes

Columbus got forward Ethan Moreau (broken hand) back for the first time since October 20...The Blue Jackets' slide comes on the heels of a five-game winning streak. The first two losses came in a home-and-home with Detroit over the weekend.