Predators 1 - 4 Stars
Final
  for this game

Cole leads Stars past Predators

Dec 28, 2013 - 6:37 AM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Erik Cole scored twice as the Dallas Stars took a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday.

Jamie Benn and Ryan Garbutt each posted a goal for the Stars, who have won four of their last five games. Kari Lehtonen made 33 saves in the win.

"We put the puck in the right spot a lot of the times and were able to create some pressure, and we have numbers back when teams are coming out," said Dallas head coach Lindy Ruff. "We have to give our forwards a lot of credit for coming back and doing the work their doing and getting shot leads and blocking more shots."

Kevin Klein scored the only goal of the game for the Predators, who matched a season-high with their fifth straight loss. Carter Hutton allowed all four goals on 34 shots.

"We've been giving up a lot of early goals and tonight I can't blame the goaltender, Carter (Hutton) was pretty decent tonight and our goaltending was adequate tonight," said Phoenix head coach Barry Trotz. "We needed some guys to snipe, we had Lehtonen down a couple of times and they didn't snipe."

Dallas took the initial lead in the game as Benn took the puck down the left wing and skated behind the net before wrapping the puck in at the right side just 42 seconds in.

Nashville tied the game at 7:14 of the second period as Colin Wilson skated from behind the net to the low left circle and held up. He then sent the puck to the slot where a flying Klein one-timed it home for his first of the season.

Dallas, though, made it a 2-1 game just 24 seconds later as Cole scored his first of the game on a wrister from the right circle with traffic in front.

The Stars then made it a 3-1 contest at 14:04 of the second as Cole skated down the right wing to the front and slammed on the brakes before switching to the backhand and stuffing it in past the left pad of Hutton.

It was a 4-1 game at 4:09 of the third as Benn sent a shot on net from the right point that was tipped by Cody Eakin then tipped by Garbutt into the net.

Game Notes

Dallas hosts St. Louis on Sunday ... Nashville hosts Los Angeles on Saturday ... Nashville took a 3-1 win against Dallas at home on Dec. 12 ... Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.






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