Wild 1 - 2 Predators
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Preds nip Wild in SO, ascend in Western Conference standings

Apr 4, 2012 - 5:57 AM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Alexander Radulov netted the lone goal in the shootout, and Nashville moved into the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

Radulov faked and went to the forehand to lift the puck over Niklas Backstrom's pad, just inside the left post. Anders Lindback, who had 25 saves, then stacked his pads to stop Devin Setoguchi's attempt for his first shootout victory.

Gabriel Bourque scored in the second period for the Predators, who as of now are a point ahead of fifth-place Detroit and two in front of Chicago.

The Predators have two games remaining -- at home against Dallas on Thursday and at Colorado Saturday. Detroit has three contests left and Chicago two.

Dany Heatley also scored in the middle period for Minnesota, which had its three-game winning streak stopped. Backstrom stopped 23 shots.

"I thought as a group they played a real strong game," Wild coach Mike Yeo said of his team.

While on the power play, the Predators nearly scored with 8:44 left in the first, but Backstrom came up with a save and covered the puck up by lying on his back. Patric Hornqvist was in the crease and shoved hard, knocking the net off its moorings.

The Predators nearly scored early in the second off a scramble in front, but after a lengthy video review referee Ghislain Hebert determined he blew the whistle to declare play dead before the puck may have crossed the goal line.

Bourque finally put Nashville in front at 12:31 of the second. Nick Spaling stole the puck in the right circle before sliding a backhand pass to the opposite side of the net to Bourque, who netted his seventh goal of the season.

Heatley tied the game with 2:07 left in the second when he deflected Nate Prosser's right point shot past Lindback.

Roman Josi had a golden opportunity to put the Preds in front with nearly four minutes left in regulation when a loose puck came to him in front, but the shot was deflected over the net.

The Wild went on the power play to start overtime, thanks to a tripping call on Sergei Kostitsyn with 11.7 seconds left in regulation. Despite, this the Wild couldn't capitalize.

"We got a couple of penalties, which we have to eliminate at those times," Spaling said. "It was a great job killing them off."

Game Notes

The Wild have two games left, both at home, against Chicago Thursday and Phoenix Saturday...The Predators have been dealt just three regulation losses at Bridgestone Arena since Jan. 5 (14-3-2)...Each of the Wild's last four games has been decided in extra time.






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