Predators 3 - 1 Panthers
Final
  for this game

Rinne leads Preds past Panthers

Mar 4, 2012 - 4:46 AM Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Pekka Rinne made 39 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist while David Legwand and Mike Fisher each scored a goal for the Predators, who have won three of their last four.

"We kept things pretty simple tonight and got a couple of goals there," said Legwand. "From there we just made sure to play some tight defense."

Wojtek Wolski scored the lone goal for the Panthers, who have dropped their past two. Scott Clemmensen allowed all three goals on 23 shots in the loss.

"We put pucks at him and made him work, but when he sees them he's going to stop them all the time," said Wolski.

The Predators scored 11:35 into the first as Kostitsyin's heavy wrister from the right circle beat Clemmensen to the far side.

Just 28 seconds into the second, Nashville took a 2-0 lead when Martin Erat sent a pass from behind the left side of the net to the front where Fisher snuck home a one-timer.

Florida got on the board at the 7:49 mark of the second period on a nice play. Tomas Fleischmann brought the puck down the middle and passed it over to the left for Marcel Goc, who then sent it back over to the right where Wolski wristed it home.

Legwand gave his team the two-goal lead back 7:02 into the third when he skated in on a break and snuck the puck between the five-hole of Clemmensen.

Rinne held the lead up by stopping all 16 shots he faced in the final period.

Game Notes

Florida hosts Ottawa on Sunday...Nashville returns home to face Los Angeles on Tuesday...Nashville has won four of the last five against Florida...Neither team scored on the power play with Nashville having one chance and Florida three...Rinne set a Nashville record with his 36th win of the season.






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