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Radulov, Gelinas each tally twice as Predators roll

Jan 22, 2008 - 4:59 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Alexander Radulov's second career two-goal effort helped the Nashville Predators continue to collect points.

Radulov and Martin Gelinas each recorded two goals and an assist and Scott Nichol netted his third tally in two games as the Predators completed a home-and-home sweep of the St. Louis Blues on Monday with a 6-3 victory.

Defenseman Shea Weber also scored and Martin Erat collected a pair of assists for Nashville, which improved to 4-1-2 in its last seven games.

"It's difficult to win those home-and-homes," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "The team that loses that first game, they come back very hungry. St. Louis was. Before the game, we talked about it being like a boxing match, and a lot of times in those boxing matches, the second one goes the other way."

"It is such a big swing in points," added Nashville goaltender Chris Mason, whose team moved ahead of St. Louis and into a second-place tie with idle Columbus for second place in the Central Division. "If we had lost both of these, we'd be in a real fight for our lives. Hopefully, we will be building on (the wins)."

After being swept of a home-and-home set by the Blues in mid-November, the Predators returned the favor, following a 5-2 triumph at St. Louis on Saturday with this victory. Monday's loss was the fifth in a row for the Blues, who fell to 16-9-1 when scoring the game's first goal.

"We're battling hard but just not executing the plays," St. Louis defenseman Barret Jackman said. "We just have to get back to the basics until we get everyone working together and get synced again. We just have to keep battling.

"I can say all the cliches, but the harder you work, the more bounces that are going to come your way, and that's what we have to have happen. ... We have to look at ourselves and ask what we can do to make this team better."

Radulov, who registered his first two-goal performance against Edmonton on January 3, gave Nashville a 3-2 lead late in the second period with an impressive backhand shot from low in the right faceoff circle.

"We just tried to keep the puck in the zone," Radulov said. "I was open, and we got the goal."

After Gelinas redirected defenseman Greg de Vries' point shot between Manny Legace's pads with 38 seconds remaining in the session, the talented Russian beat the All-Star netminder high to the stick side with a wrister from the low slot at 1:58 of the third, putting the Predators in front, 5-2.

"That was a solid game by Radulov," Trotz said. "He's paying a lot more attention to detail, and it showed tonight. He was dynamic with the puck. He is growing up in a lot of areas of his game."

Radulov was more focused on the team's overall play than his own.

"It's a big game for us," he said. "The team played well and everybody showed their effort. You just have to keep working for your goals, but it is all about the team and getting the win."

Gelinas capped his multi-goal game with an empty-netter in the game's final minute.

Brad Boyes opened the scoring at 3:56 of the first period with his career-high 27th tally.

From along the left wing boards, Andy McDonald dished to Boyes, who was skating through the slot. Boyes tipped the pass by Mason for his sixth goal in five meetings with the Predators this season.

Weber tied the contest less than two minutes later during a power play.

Radulov sent a backhand pass from the high slot to Weber, who was stationed just above the left faceoff dot, and the blue-liner unleashed a one-timer that beat Legace high to the stick side at 5:37.

Nichol put Nashville ahead at 9:32, carrying the puck during a 2-on-1 rush and firing a wrist shot from the left circle past Legace. In Saturday's win, Nichol netted a pair of shorthanded tallies.

"I tried to go high and it kind of flubbed on me," Nichol said. "They seem to be going in for me right now, which is nice. I'll take those. I've had a few chances this year and they hadn't really been going in."

Dan Hinote pulled St. Louis even with 7:38 left in the middle period, but Radulov and Gelinas scored the next three goals to give Nashville a comfortable cushion.

Mason turned aside 31 shots for Nashville.

"They put a lot of pressure on us in the third," Mason said. "We held on and then got the empty-netter, and that was it."

The Predators received some bad news, however, as center David Legwand left the game early in the first period with a leg injury.

"Leggy won't play tomorrow (at Colorado) or the next game in Phoenix," Trotz said.

Keith Tkachuk also scored and Legace made 21 saves for the Blues, who were beginning a four-game road trip.

"We failed to execute in certain key situations," St. Louis coach Andy Murray said. "I thought that we did some solid things, but we can't give up that many goals on that few of shots."