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Preds use five-goal blitz to dispatch Kings

Jan 7, 2011 - 7:00 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Patric Hornqvist scored twice and the Nashville Predators scored five unanswered goals to top the struggling Los Angeles Kings, 5-2.

Colin Wilson and Sergei Kostitsyn each had a goal and two assists for the Predators, winners of four straight on the heels of a five-game slide.

Andres Lindback got the call between the pipes and made 24 stops for the win, while his counterpart, Jonathan Bernier, recorded 23 saves in defeat.

Jarret Stoll and Kyle Clifford both scored for the Kings, who saw their losing streak reach a season-high five games.

"It's a big concern that we've given up 23 goals in five games," Kings head coach Terry Murray said. "We haven't been able to get the job done."

After a scoreless opening period, the Kings drew first blood when Clifford was there to tap in a rebound on an odd-man rush 2:16 into the second stanza.

Stoll's power-play tally came at 7:57, but the visitors scored three times over the next seven minutes to take the lead for good.

Wilson, with the man advantage, was the beneficiary of a nice Ryan Suter pass to get the turnaround started at the 8:57 mark, and Marek Svatos lit the lamp 1:22 later for a tie game.

"I thought after we scored that [first] goal we were really good," Nashville head coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought we recovered really well, we showed a lot of character and stayed with the game plan all night."

With LA's Matt Greene in the penalty box for interference, Hornqvist put in the go-ahead goal on a tip-in with 5:32 remaining in the second.

Near the midway point of the third, Kostitsyn's wrister from the left circle trickled past Bernier, and Hornqvist capped his two-goal effort with 4:27 on the clock.

Game Notes

The Kings had won three straight over the Preds...Hornqvist has scored in four straight games...Nashville converted 2-of-3 power-play chances...The Kings scored on one of two tries with the man advantage...LA's Anze Kopitar had two assists, including the 200th of his career.