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Kariya scores in shootout; Blues lose 10th straight

Dec 17, 2006 - 6:34 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Given some extra time, Paul Kariya added to the St. Louis Blues' misery.

Kariya netted the shootout clincher after scoring in regulation and Scott Nichol added his fifth goal as the Nashville Predators posted their sixth win in seven home contests, a 3-2 victory over the woeful Blues.

Playing the opener of a home-and-home series, Nashville rallied from a 2-0 deficit to improve its home record to 10-1-3 and extend St. Louis' losing streak to 10 games. The Blues currently are last in the league in wins (seven) and points (18).

"Give the Blues a lot of credit," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "They came out and battled, and they played a really hard, solid game. ... The first part of the game, we didn't have enough urgency. The last 30 minutes, we were committed."

"We ran four lines and got contributions from a lot of people," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "I'm disappointed that we didn't win, but we recognize that the Predators are a good hockey team, and not many people have gotten points off of them this year."

Kariya scored for the eighth time in 11 shootout attempts in the second round, when he beat goaltender Manny Legace to the stick side.

"It's always an advantage to go second (in the shootout) and see what their goalie is doing," Kariya said. "I wanted to go in and see what the goalie was doing and hopefully find an open spot to shoot (at)."

Nashville netminder Chris Mason sealed the victory moments later with a pad save on Doug Weight.

"I just try to be really patient and not try to commit," Mason said. "I like shootouts. My last one wasn't very good, so I was looking forward to my next one to get some redemption."

Trailing, 2-0, the Predators began their comeback after Blues defenseman Barret Jackman was whistled for slashing midway through the second period. Kariya scored his seventh goal of the season on a slap shot from the right point that deflected off a defender's stick.

"Paul Kariya was really solid," Trotz said. "He was dangerous all night. He deserved that goal."

Nichol tied the game with 17 seconds remaining in the middle session with a shot from the slot that got past Legace's right pad. It was his first goal in 13 contests.

"I was a little tired after a long shift killing (a) penalty, but Steve Sullivan hit me with a great pass," Nichol said. "I just tried to shoot it fast and hard. It was a big goal coming into the third period."

Mason recorded 33 saves in raising his record to 10-4-2 for the Predators, who have won four of their last five.

Winless since a shootout victory over Detroit on November 24, St. Louis took a 2-0 lead in the first 10:43 of the game. However, the Blues were shut down the rest of the way, preventing Murray from recording his first victory as coach since taking over for Mike Kitchen on Monday.

"We are going to keep battling," St. Louis left wing Keith Tkachuk said. "We have to fight through a lot of things and we will be fine. We just got some bad breaks."

Tkachuk needed only 29 seconds to score his eighth goal of the season for the Blues when he skated across the top of the crease and lifted the puck over a diving Mason.

"That is the Keith Tkachuk I have known, and when he dips that shoulder coming down the right side, he is a tough man to stop," Murray said. "That was a goal by a guy who wants to be a leader on this team."

Weight doubled the lead midway through the session by taking advantage of blue-liner Greg Zanon's delay-of-game penalty and sliding the puck by Mason's right pad for his third goal of the campaign.

After missing the previous four contests with a concussion, Legace stopped 22 shots in his fifth consecutive defeat.