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Predators eye third straight win

Jan 5, 2008 - 2:26 PM Minnesota (23-15-2) at Nashville (19-18-2) 8:00 pm EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Marian Gaborik is really beginning to turn some heads this season.

The Nashville Predators will have to contain the superstar right wing if they want to pick up their third consecutive victory when they host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Gaborik scored two goals - one shorthanded - as the Wild benefited from a four-goal first period and cruised to a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Gaborik has 11 tallies over his last 10 contests, including a franchise-record, five-goal performance against the New York Rangers on December 20. He has a team-leading 21 goals and 39 points this season.

The Predators, who remain in the cellar of the Central Division, may have found their solution in the crease. After trading Tomas Vokoun in the offseason, Chris Mason did not get off to the kind of start the club expected.

However, rookie Dan Ellis has been solid, winning each of his last three starts. The 27-year-old netminder is 9-4-0 with a 2.34 goals-against average and three shutouts on the campaign.

For Nashville to gain ground in the standings, it will need to improve its 26th ranked power-play unit (14.3 percent).