Avalanche 2 - 4 Predators
Final
  for this game

Predators take care of struggling Avalanche

Mar 13, 2011 - 7:20 AM Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Martin Erat and Joel Ward each had a goal and an assist in Nashville's 4-2 victory over the lowly Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena.

Shea Weber and Matt Halischuk each tallied for the Predators, who have won two straight but are still on the outside looking in at a Western Conference playoff spot with 80 points. Pekka Rinne had 36 saves in the win.

"They played well," Rinne said of the Avs' effort. "We responded, though, and got the win."

Daniel Winnik and Ryan O'Reilly each lit the lamp for the Avs, who have lost eight straight and 18 of 19 overall. Peter Budaj yielded three goals on 28 shots in the losing effort.

Nashville scored two goals in the first period to take control of the game.

Weber struck first for the Predators just over four minutes in, jamming home a rebound. Halischuk got the second -- and his second goal of the season -- on a wrister from the slot.

Colorado halved the score, 2-1, 4:15 into the second on O'Reilly's putback from several blocked shots, but Nashville got a two-goal lead back on Ward's 10th goal of the season with 6:29 left in the middle stanza.

With 30 ticks left in the second period, Colorado made it a one-goal game on Winnik's ninth goal of the season on a slap shot.

The game remained close the entire third period until Erat tallied the empty netter with two seconds left on the clock. Both goaltenders made eight saves in the final frame.

Game Notes

Milan Hejduk did not play because of a shoulder injury he suffered during Friday night's game against Anaheim. He is one game away from 900 games played with the franchise...Rinne is 6-3-0 against the Avs...Neither team scored on the power play. Colorado was 0-for-4 while Nashville was 0-for-5.






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