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Legwand's hat trick helps Predators rout Stars

Oct 7, 2007 - 4:26 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- So much for the naysayers who predicted the downfall of the Nashville Predators following an offseason of cost-saving roster moves.

David Legwand recorded a hat trick and goaltender Chris Mason impressed once again as the Predators rolled to a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

After an impressive 4-1 home victory over Boston on Friday, Dallas failed to repeat its performance in this one. Last season, the Stars posted a 13-3-1 record in the second game of back-to-back contests.

Legwand opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 6:37 of the opening period. Martin Erat carried the puck around the net and found Legwand in the low slot, where he tapped the puck inside the left goalpost.

Legwand and Erat teamed up for a second time at 9:23 of the second, when Erat carried the puck into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Legwand, who blasted in a one-timer.

"I though Leggy and Erat had a great game defensively. I had them matched up against the Modano line most of the night," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "The offense came from great defense. All of those goals were transitional-type goals that came from back in our zone."

Legwand completed his second career hat trick in the final minutes shortly after Martin Gelinas scored into an empty net. The 27-year-old registered his first hat trick on January 20 against Chicago.

"It's great. Anytime you can do it is a special thing," Legwand said. "It's a big win. They are a good team, and they play a tight defensive game."

Mason again was sharp in the net, stopping 29 shots. The 31-year-old made his best save of the night with 5:45 remaining in the second period, when he denied Jere Lehtinen's point-blank wrister from the low slot.

"We can't think that we are unbeatable right now," Mason said. "We still have a lot of work to do."

"The team played really well, but when we needed the big save, Mase was there for us," Trotz said.

J.P. Dumont put the Predators in front, 2-0, with a power-play goal at 5:22 of the second period.

From the left faceoff circle, defenseman Marek Zidlicky slid a pass to Dumont in the right circle. Dumont settled the puck and whipped a wrist shot over the glove of Mike Smith that sent the netminder's water bottle spinning from the top of the net.

"I got outplayed, that's the bottom line," Smith said. "You have to make the big saves at the right times in the game, and I didn't do it and it cost us two points."

"We want to put it out there that we are a different team this year," Dumont said. "It doesn't matter which team we play against, we are going to forecheck and use our speed like we did."

Krys Barch scored the lone goal for Dallas, converting on a partial breakaway.

The Predators' penalty-killing unit denied the Stars on eight power-play opportunities, including a two-man advantage that lasted 48 seconds in the second period.

"Every game has a different opportunity to win, and you have to find a way to win," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "We looked like we were chasing the game with our hands and our feet only, and we didn't find a way to win."