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Predators hang on for wild win over Kings

Oct 26, 2008 - 6:28 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Jerred Smithson and Jordin Tootoo scored third-period goals as the Nashville Predators held on for a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Ryan Jones, J.P. Dumont and Martin Erat tallied in the opening session for Nashville, which nearly squandered a 3-0 lead for the second straight game.

Nashville coach Barry Trotz sees a troubling trend developing.

"You can't allow momentum changes and allow teams to hang around when you get an early lead," Trotz said. "Yes we won the game, but I had some concerns."

Jarret Stoll scored twice for Los Angeles, which allowed its first-power play goal of the season. Captain Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov tallied late in the third period to make it a one-goal game.

Patric Hornqvist had a pair of assists for Nashville, which nearly had a case of deja vu after it relinquished a 3-0 advantage to Calgary in a 5-3 loss on Thursday.

Like in that game, the Predators jumped to a 3-0 lead in the opening period.

Erat's power-play goal with 7:12 left in the first completed the early outburst. It also spelled the end of the night for goaltender Jason LaBarbera, who made just 12 saves before being lifted in favor of Erik Ersberg.

"It was a little bit of trying to calm things down and bring a better focus to our game," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "When you give up three goals in the first, there is always a red flag that starts to fly."

Prior to Erat's tally, the Kings had successfully killed all 27 of their opponents' man advantages.

"I wish we did not come out how we did," Brown said. "It is not how we wanted to come out. We did not come prepared in the first period, and they were all over us."

Nashville seemed to have a comfortable lead, but its shaky defense reared its ugly head again.

Stoll's second goal of the game, which came with a two-man advantage, cut the deficit to 3-2 with 5:31 left in the second. His slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle sailed over goaltender Dan Ellis' left shoulder.

"It's frustrating when we're allowing teams to come back, and that's something I need to take more responsibility in - shutting the door," Ellis said. "It's great to get a win, and that's the important thing right now."

Smithson and Tootoo made it 5-2 midway through the third, but Los Angeles rallied late as Brown and Frolov tallied in a span of 4:09. Frolov's goal came with 68 seconds remaining.

"Going down 3-0 in the first, it is never easy," Kings center Anze Kopitar said. "We played a lot better in the second and third, when we played more time in our offensive zone, which is obviously our strength."

Ellis stopped 26 shots for the Predators, who were 2-for-3 with the man advantage. Ersberg made 10 saves for Los Angeles.