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Radulov's two goals help Predators defeat Red Wings

Feb 13, 2008 - 5:28 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Alexander Radulov and the Nashville Predators helped make the mighty Detroit Red Wings continue to look ordinary.

Radulov scored twice as the Predators sent the Red Wings to their fourth straight loss with a 4-2 victory on Tuesday.

Martin Erat and J.P. Dumont each had a goal and an assist and captain Jason Arnott set up a pair of tallies for Nashville, which has won two straight and three of its last five games.

Despite owning the best record in the NHL, Detroit (41-13-5) is in the midst of its longest losing streak since March 17-24 of last season.

"I think we're a little bit sloppy in our own end, and that's where we've been hurting ourselves," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "Whether it's not playing our position the right way, drifting away or looking at the puck too much, we have to get better playing in our own end."

Radulov struck less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game for Nashville.

From the right faceoff circle, Arnott sent the puck toward the net. Radulov grabbed it and quickly beat All-Star goaltender Chris Osgood to the stick side with a wrist shot at 2:25 for his team-leading 22nd goal of the season.

"We just tried to get the puck to the net," Radulov said. "Playing with J.P. and Arnie (Arnott), all I have to do is go to the net and 90 percent of the time, they get the puck right to me."

Just 77 seconds later, the Predators struck again.

After receiving a pass from Rich Peverley in the slot, Erat beat Osgood with a wrister high to the stick side at 3:42 to double the lead.

"It was pretty much a 2-on-0 with Rich and I, so it was a fairly easy goal," Erat said. "It's great, we are scoring goals now and we got the two points."

Dumont made it 3-0 when he easily tapped the puck past Osgood at 8:49. It was Dumont's 21st goal of the season.

"We used our speed to put pressure on them and create turnovers," Dumont said. "It was a big first period for us."

That spelled the end of the night for Osgood, who made just one save and was replaced by rookie Jimmy Howard.

"We hung Osgood out to dry," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "It's not like we can go back and say they shot it through him. We made mistakes that were basically tap-ins."

After the Red Wings drew within 3-1 with a power-play goal by Johan Franzen at 4:39 of the second period, Radulov restored the Predators' three-goal cushion with just over five minutes left in the middle session.

With the Red Wings making an ill-timed line change, Erat sent Radulov in on a partial breakaway. The Russian drove to the net, made a quick move to his backhand and slid the puck between Howard's pads with 5:34 left, capping his third multi-goal game of the season.

"Marty made a good play to me, and I am happy that it went in," Radulov said.

Chris Mason allowed a power-play tally by Pavel Datsyuk with 2:19 left in the second but made 12 saves in the third period and finished with 40 overall.

"It seems like no lead is safe with Detroit," Mason said. "They shoot everything and they go to the net. Half the shots you don't see because they have guys standing in front of you."

"We jumped on them early, but then we kind of sat back a little," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "We took too many penalties and they scored two power-play goals. The fourth goal really ended up being a huge goal for us because they really had a lot of momentum."

Howard, who was recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on Monday to allow Dominik Hasek time to rest a sore hip flexor, stopped 18 shots.

"You never know when you are going to get in," Howard said. "That is one thing I have learned over my short career - you come to the rink prepared and ready to go."