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Preds ride Rinne, early offense to matinee win over Isles

Jan 16, 2012 - 10:11 PM Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Pekka Rinne made 36 saves to backstop the surging Nashville Predators to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.

Rinne was busy in the second period, stopping 19 shots to protect a three-goal lead the Predators built before the game was 12 minutes old.

The Islanders' John Tavares scored on a deflection in front of the net, spoiling the shutout bid with 3:58 remaining in the third period.

Sergei Kostitsyn, Matt Halischuk and David Legwand lit the lamp for Nashville, which matched a season high with a fifth straight victory. The Predators have won 14 of their last 18 games overall.

Kevin Poulin posted 29 saves in his second start of the season for the Islanders, who have dropped four of six.

Kostitsyn sparked the early barrage, firing a wrister from the slot over Poulin's left shoulder at the 2:17 mark of the first period.

Halischuk raced down the right wing and beat Poulin on the stick side at 5:34, then Legwand drove the net and tapped in a feed from Martin Erat at 11:37.

"We mismanaged the puck," said Islanders head coach Jack Capuano. "The first two goals came off turnovers."

New York failed to convert on an extended two-man advantage in the middle stanza.

"The first period was real strong for us and obviously the penalty kill was a key point in the game," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz.

Game Notes

Nashville improved to 7-0-2 in its last nine games against the Islanders, who haven't beaten the Predators in regulation since April 11, 2002...Nashville upped its record against the Eastern Conference this season to 6-2-2...Tavares extended his career-high point streak to nine games. He has five goals and 11 assists over that stretch.