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Kariya leads third-period charge as Predators roll

Mar 4, 2007 - 12:55 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Michael Cammalleri did his best to help the Los Angeles Kings. Paul Kariya's best for the Nashville Predators was just a little better.

Kariya scored twice as the Predators netted four unanswered goals in the third period to post their fourth straight win, a 6-3 triumph over the Kings.

With Los Angeles trailing, 2-1, Cammalleri tallied with five minutes remaining in the second session and five minutes into the third to put the Kings ahead. It was the third two-goal performance of the season for the 24-year-old and seventh career.

The lead and the momentum disappeared quickly, however, as Kariya forged a 3-3 tie 40 seconds later with a power-play goal.

"That was huge," Kariya said. "They are playing really good hockey and they're tough to play against. I thought we did a good job of keeping calm and letting our power play do the work."

"We've been able to bounce back a lot from those types of things lately," Cammalleri said. "I don't think it kills us. It's a goal that we got to keep going and suck it up."

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky put Nashville in front for good at 9:39 and, just 44 seconds after J.P. Dumont increased the advantage to two goals with 7:21 remaining, Kariya capped his second two-goal effort in four games with his 22nd tally of the season.

"We got our feet under us and ended up getting a lead in the third period," Kings coach Marc Crawford said. "But we made a crucial mistake right after and gave them power-play opportunities. They ended up scoring those goals, which were the difference-makers in the game."

Blue-liner Shea Weber also scored a pair of goals and added an assist while Peter Forsberg set up three tallies for the Predators (44-18-4), who climbed two points ahead of the idle Detroit Red Wings (41-16-8) for first place in the Central Division.

"I thought we played well," Forsberg said. "We have definitely played better the last couple of games. The Kings came back and they played very hard, and we give credit to them. They had nothing to play for and they still came out and played hard. They definitely had a chance to win the third."

"We need to treat every game just as important as the next," Weber said. "We can be a lot better, but each day, I think that we are jelling a little bit more with some of the new guys we've got in here."

After failing to record a point in his first three games with Nashville, Forsberg has registered a goal and five assists in the last four contests.

"It's hard in the beginning because all of a sudden, in the middle of the season, you get pressured to score points and do well, and everything kind of starts all over again," the former Hart Trophy winner said. "I had a tough time the first couple of games. It kind of wears on the confidence a little bit.

"But now it's getting better and I'm getting to know the guys better and better, and we can go forward from there."

Jamie Lundmark tallied and defenseman Rob Blake recorded two assists for Los Angeles, which had won four of its previous five home meetings with Nashville.

Weber opened the scoring during a power play, firing a loose puck past goaltender Sean Burke from the left faceoff circle with 1:49 to go in the first. The Kings nearly drew even in the waning seconds, but netminder Chris Mason got just enough of the puck on Tom Kostopoulos' shot to make it trickle wide of the left goalpost.

Lundmark did forge a 1-1 tie at 3:36 of the second, converting a pass by Kostopoulos while being tied up in front by Martin Erat. Weber answered less than three minutes later with a shot from the right point that made it through a crowd and banked in off the left post for his 13th goal.

The tally capped the second career multi-goal effort for Weber, who also scored twice against San Jose on February 14.

Cammalleri netted his first goal of the game later in the session off a feed from Blake in the slot before giving the Kings 3-2 edge at 5:07 of the third by banging in a loose puck at the right side of the net during a man advantage. It was the 27th tally of the season for Cammalleri, eclipsing his career high set last campaign.

Moments later, Forsberg lifted a pass from the outer edge of the left circle to Kariya, who one-timed it past Burke from the left hash marks. Zidlicky also scored on the power play, beating the veteran goalie with a one-timer from the left faceoff dot for his first goal in 42 games and a 4-3 lead.

"We made some mistakes at the end, and it cost us," Cammalleri said. "We know what kind of team that they are and we know what they do when they get chances. We just can't allow them to have those types of chances."

Dumont, who was playing in his 500th career game, netted his fifth in seven games with a wrister from the left circle and Kariya capped the outburst with 6:37 remaining, converting Erat's backhand pass from behind the net.

"We were having a tough time getting into the zone in the first two periods," Kariya said. "In the third, I thought we moved it around real well and made some good plays."

Burke allowed all six goals on 33 shots but still was praised by his coach.

"I thought he did a great job in the first period, keeping us in the game," Crawford said. "That's all you can ask."

The Kings completed their four-game homestand at 2-2-0.

"We had a pretty good homestand here," Lundmark said. "We get to be on the road again and hopefully get some big wins. Hopefully, we will get some momentum back and go from there."