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Fiddler, Ellis fuel Predators past Red Wings

Dec 27, 2008 - 5:01 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Vernon Fiddler scored with just over one minute remaining in the second period and Dan Ellis finished with 38 saves as the Nashville Predators recorded a 3-2 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings in a battle of Central Division rivals.

Defenseman Greg Zanon and Kevin Klein also tallied and Martin Erat notched two assists for Nashville, which netted three goals in a contest just once in its previous six games. By comparison, the Red Wings have scored 16 goals in their last three games prior to Friday.

"They have been the symbol of excellence in the league for a long time, so when they come in, our team gets ramped up," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We played them in the playoffs last year and they knocked us out, so there was some motivation there."

Daniel Cleary and Mikael Samuelsson scored for Detroit, which saw six-time Norris Trophy winner Niklas Lidstrom leave the game in the second period with a lower body injury after he was on the receiving end of a shot from defenseman Shea Weber.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock said X-rays were negative, and was unsure if the captain would be able to play in Saturday's game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

Zanon opened the scoring 9:29 of the opening period.

Radek Bonk won a faceoff against Henrik Zetterberg in the left faceoff circle and Zanon one-timed the puck over Ty Conklin's glove for his second goal of the season.

The league leader in faceoff percentage, Bonk won 13 of the 14 draws he took in the game.

The Red Wings drew even at with 5:56 remaining in the first period after Cleary carried the puck along the right wall, skated around defenseman Ryan Suter and wristed a shot high to the far side over the stick of Ellis.

Nashville regained the lead with 6:36 remaining in the second on a power-play goal by Klein.

From the right corner, Rich Peverley sent a pass to Klein at the top of the right circle. Klein one-timed the puck over the glove of Conklin. Nashville had not scored a power-play goal in its previous five games.

"Rich made a good play to retrieve that puck, and when he turned and faced me, I bolted down the middle," Klein said. "Rich put it on my tape which is always nice."

"It was a quick pass out," Conklin said. "He walked to the top of the circle and they made a good play to get the puck to him."

Prior to Klein's goal, Ellis denied Pavel Datsyuk on a shorthanded breakaway to keep the score 1-1 at the time.

"You are always a little nervous when you have Datsyuk coming down on you because you never know which of his many moves that he is going to pull," Ellis said. "I enjoy playing against the very best teams and the very best players in the world, and I was able to make a save on him."

The Predators carried a 3-1 lead into the second intermission thanks to a goal by Vernon Fiddler which came with 68 seconds remaining in the period.

Behind the net, Erat sent a pass to Fiddler in the low slot. Fiddler's low shot beat Conklin on the glove side.

"Of course you feel confident when you are scoring," said Fiddler, who has three goals in his last four games. "We played really well when we got the lead."

"We gave up a real bad goal late in the second that put us behind 3-1," Babcock said. "You can't give up a goal that late in the period, especially since we had numbers down low."

Samuelsson's goal at the three-minute mark of the third period cut the deficit, but the Red Wings could not net the equalizer.

"We have had to come from behind in the third period a lot this year," Samuelsson said. "We don't like it, but it happened again."