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Four-goal third period leads Predators past Blackhawks

Feb 25, 2009 - 5:03 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- An uncharacteristic scoring outburst carried the Nashville Predators to victory Tuesday.

The lowest scoring team in the NHL, the Predators received goals from four different players in the third period to storm past the Chicago Blackhawks and record a 5-3 win in a battle of Central Division rivals.

All-Star defenseman Shea Weber and J.P. Dumont netted a power-play goal apiece and David Legwand and Joel Ward also tallied in the decisive session for the Predators, who erased a two-goal deficit.

"We were playing a good game," Dumont said. "We were down 3-1, and we had a few scoring chances, but we didn't put a puck in.

"We just had to make sure we kept playing the same way, and the two big goals on the power play were the turning point of the game. We're never going to quit."

Captain Jason Arnott also scored, Martin Erat recorded three assists in the third and defenseman Dan Hamhuis set up a pair of tallies as Nashville scored five goals for the first time since January 28.

Dustin Byfuglien, Martin Havlat and All-Star Patrick Kane scored for Chicago, which lost just its fourth road game in its last 13 contests.

Nashville entered the contest averaging a league-low 2.30 goals per game - and the game started out true to form as the teams skated to a scoreless first period.

"We got behind, but we stuck with our game plan and kept working at it," Arnott said. "In the third, we went out, worked hard and did our best to get out of it. They took some penalties, and we finally capitalized on one of those."

But the Blackhawks beat rookie Pekka Rinne three times in the second as the visitors took a 3-1 lead before a wild third period.

"In the second, they got the two goals rather quickly, and then we got back into it," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "Their third goal really zapped us a little bit. We sort of regrouped after the second period."

After Legwand made the score 3-2 only 2:10 into the session, Dumont knotted the score with the man-advantage just over three minutes later by beating Cristobal Huet from the top of the right faceoff circle.

Huet made 24 saves on the night, but allowed four goals on 13 shots in the third.

"There are going to be some nights when you get beaten when you know what you wanted to do," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "Tonight, that wasn't the case. We need to get back to being more consistent, more aware, and playing the score."

Ward put Nashville ahead when he took control of the puck during a scramble in front of the net and scored the go-ahead goal with just over five minutes remaining.

Weber added an insurance tally with 2:50 remaining.

Rinne stopped 27 shots for the Predators, who improved to 3-1-0 this season against the Blackhawks.

"Every single win builds up confidence," Rinne said. "Right now, we're feeling pretty good. We also know that there are no easy games, no days off for us. We have to show up for every single game, and this is a result. It can happen."