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Erat shines as Predators win in shootout

Nov 2, 2008 - 6:17 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Martin Erat scored his sixth goal of the season to forge a tie midway through the third period and netted the lone tally of the shootout as the Nashville Predators recorded a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Pekka Rinne turned aside attempts by Nathan Horton and Cory Stillman in the bonus format before Rostislav Olesz misfired on his opportunity as the Predators rolled to their third win in four games.

"I thought Pekka was really, really good tonight," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "When it was 2-1, he made a couple of great saves that if they had scored on, I'm pretty sure we'd be sitting here now singing a different tune."

Defenseman Shea Weber scored a power-play goal in the first period and Rinne made 24 saves for Nashville.

Olesz and defenseman Karlis Skrastins tallied in regulation for Florida, which has dropped three straight.

After a scoreless first round of the shootout, Rinne stopped a backhander by Stillman on the Panthers' second attempt. Erat then beat goaltender Craig Anderson with a wrist shot, and Olesz backhanded the puck over the net on Florida's last chance, sealing the win for the Predators.

"Even though it was my first shootout, I tried to stay patient," Rinne said. "I got lucky at the end there, when (Olesz) shot it wide."

After being denied in his first shootout of the season during a 4-3 loss on Tuesday at Washington, Erat was glad to get another opportunity.

"I felt bad after we lost the game in Washington, and I tried to prepare for another shootout," he said. "I've been practicing that move, and it worked tonight."

His shot that made it just inside the left goalpost also baffled Anderson.

"I read the play and followed him pretty well," Anderson said. "It just squeaked by."

From behind the net, J.P. Dumont slid a pass to Weber, who beat Anderson high to the stick side with a wrist shot with 3:31 left in the first period for his fifth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

Dumont continued his impressive campaign, notching his team-leading 14th point with the assist. He has recorded a point in all but one of Nashville's games this season.

"(Dumont) is a world-class player," Weber said. "He can make plays in tight spots, and that was just another one of his great passes."

Florida tied the game 57 seconds later, when defenseman Keith Ballard sent a pass to Olesz, who fooled Rinne on a partial breakaway.

"It was a nice pass," Olesz said. "I was able to get behind their defense, and then it was just me and their goalie."

Making his second consecutive start for Nashville as Dan Ellis continues to nurse a sore back, Rinne was solved again with 8:45 left in the second as Skrastins beat him with a wrister for his 100th career point and a 2-1 edge.

A former Predator, Skrastins collected 54 points in 307 games with the team between 1999-2003.

Erat pulled Nashville even at 9:51 of the third, burying a rebound while on the doorstep after David Legwand's initial attempt was stopped by Anderson.

"(Legwand) made a nice play getting the puck out of the air and the shot on the goal," Erat said. "I just went for the rebound and it went in."

Beginning a five-game road trip, Florida fell in its first shootout of the season.

"We gave them a chance to hang around, and then they got that goal in the third," Florida coach Peter DeBoer said. "I was pretty impressed with their goalie tonight."