• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Predators stay hot with win over Oilers

Nov 2, 2006 - 5:56 AM EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators are sending a clear message that they are a feared force in the Western Conference.

Scottie Upshall scored the game-winning goal and Paul Kariya had three assists to lead the Predators to their fourth straight win, a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Upshall tallied the game-winner for the Predators with 3:16 left in the third period when he skated in on a 2-on-1 with Kariya.

Kariya's shot was saved by Edmonton goaltender Dwayne Roloson, but Upshall pounced on the rebound and jammed it home for a 4-2 lead.

"There's a lot of other great teams out there, but we do have balanced scoring up front," Kariya said. "As the year goes along and injuries hit, and you have three or four lines that can score, it makes it easier out there."

Kariya recorded his 800th career point when he set up defenseman Shea Weber's power-play goal at 15:53 of the first period, which gave the Predators a 2-0 lead.

"It's always nice when you reach a milestone point like that," Kariya said. "But it's the two points that really matter, and being able to help the team continue the success we've had to start the year is good to be a part of."

The Predators took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from Vernon Fiddler and Weber.

"I thought we had a good battle last night and we ran into a hot team at home in Edmonton," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought we needed to get off to a hot start, and we were able to accomplish that tonight."

Ryan Suter and David Legwand scored the other goals for Nashville, which went 1-for-3 on the power play. Chris Mason made 22 saves as the Predators improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine games.

Ales Hemsky, Ryan Smyth and defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron scored for the Oilers, who went 0-for-3 with the extra skater in losing for the first time in four games. Roloson finished with 27 stops.

"It wasn't my best game tonight, and I know that I have to play better than I did," Roloson said. "There were a couple I would like to have back."

"I thought Roloson was average tonight," Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish said. "I thought he could have played better, but he wasn't the whole reason we lost tonight."