• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Radivojevic lifts Wild past Predators

Nov 25, 2007 - 4:45 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Branko Radivojevic celebrated his 27th birthday in style.

The Czech Republic native scored the eventual game-winning goal with 1:53 remaining in the third period as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Nashville Predators, 4-3, on Saturday night.

Radivojevic wristed a shot from the right faceoff circle which beat Chris Mason high to the glove side for his second goal of the season.

"They are a really good transition team," Mason said. "They wait in the neutral zone for you to turn it over or be out of position, and then they just go."

Radivojevic was a healthy scratch in Friday's loss to Columbus after playing 103 straight games for the Wild.

"It feels really good to get that game-winning goal, especially after being a healthy scratch last night," Radivojevic said.

"I went for the top shelf, but I didn't see what (Mason) was doing because I lost the puck a little bit."

"We came back twice within the game, and then you want to take it to overtime at least to get that one point," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "They came down, we gave him a little too much space, and they scored."

Aaron Voros scored the game's first goal at 11:08 of the opening period.

Positioned in front of the net, Voros was able to deflect a Brent Burns shot from the top of the right faceoff circle by Mason's glove.

The Predators answered with two goals in a 23-second span by Martin Erat and Martin Gelinas.

Erat scored a power-play goal on a one-timer from the top of the right circle off of a pass from Ville Koistinen.

Gelinas intercepted a shot by defenseman Greg Zanon and slid a backhand by goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

"At the start, I didn't like (Backstrom) that much," Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire said. "After that, especially in the third, he was great."

Foy's goal at 14:16 of the first period tied the game at 2-2.

James Sheppard slid a cross-ice pass to Foy at the left of the Nashville goal. Foy redirected the puck between Mason's pads for his second goal of the season.

"Sheppard made a great pass, and I just got a stick on it and it went through Mason's legs," Sheppard said.

Despite being outshot, 15-6, in the second period, the Wild scored the only goal of the period.

Mark Parrish carried the puck into the Nashville zone on the right side. From the right faceoff dot, Parrish slid a cross-ice pass to Marian Gaborik. With his feet below the goal line, Gaborik was able to tap the puck in for his eighth goal of the season.

Vernon Fiddler tied the game, 3-3, midway through the third period.

Alexander Radulov forced a turnover inside the Minnesota zone, and slid a pass to Fiddler right in front of Backstrom. Fiddler redirected the puck low to Backstrom's stick side for his sixth goal of the season.

Backstrom finished with 40 saves, while Mason stopped 21 shots.

"It's tough when you give up two goals in the first period," Backstrom said. "It's great to get a win here, but the biggest thing is to keep playing like this so we don't go up and down."