|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- It took just seconds for Scott Walker
and Rob Valicevic to help the Nashville Predators move a step
closer to their first playoff berth.
Walker and Valicevic scored 21 seconds apart in the third period
as the Predators earned a dramatic 3-2 victory Sunday over the
slumping Tampa Bay Lightning.
Walker tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal on the rebound of Greg
Johnson's shot at the left post with 8:37 left. Valicevic put
Nashville up 3-2 with a goal from near the right post. Greg Johnson
and Scott Hartnell assisted on Valicevic's game-winner.
"It happened so fast it's a blur right now," Valicevic said.
"We just started working harder and harder."
Tampa Bay dropped its seventh in a row.
The third-year Predators, who have never made the playoffs,
snapped a three-game losing streak and tied the Kings for ninth
place in the Western Conference. Nashville and Los Angeles each
have 59 points, four fewer than Edmonton which holds the eighth and
final postseason spot.
"Now we're four points back and (Edmonton has) no games in hand
on us, so we've actually gained ground," Nashville coach Barry
Trotz said. "So we've got 21 games, whatever happens, happens."
Patric Kjellberg had a goal and assist for the Predators, who
outshot the Lightning 34-16. Johnson added a pair of assists and Mike Dunham picked up his 16th victory with 14 saves.
The 16 shots against were a season best for the Predators.
Nashville managed just one shot on goal through the first half
of the opening period, despite a pair of power plays. Later in the
period, Lightning goalie Kevin Weekes stopped Denis Arkhipov on a
two-on-one and Valicevic on a short-handed breakaway.
Martin St. Louis put the Lightning ahead 1-0 with an unassisted
goal at 15:41. With the teams skating four-a-side, St. Louis
intercepted a pass in the Predators and beat Mike Dunham with a
back-hander for his 11th goal.
"We came out a little sluggish in the first," Valicevic said.
"We weren't happy with our first period, but we knew we had to win
the two points. The 20 boys in here just pulled it together and we
won."
Kjellberg tied it at 1 at 10:38 of the second, putting a rebound
of Mark Eaton's shot through Weekes' pads.
Rookie Nils Ekman put Tampa Bay back on top at 15:31 of the
second. He stole the puck from Drake Berehowsky, skated in on a
breakaway and beat Dunham with a backhand.
Two excellent Nashville chances, on breakaways by Scott Walker
and Greg Johnson in the third period, were stopped on plays from
behind by Lightning defensemen Grant Ledyard and Adrian Aucoin.
Weekes made a sprawling save on Johnson with 12:38 left.
"I thought we had the game tonight for sure," Weekes said. "I
didn't feel any negative energy, no sense of anything creeping up
on us. I didn't feel that way. Sometimes when you play even better
and you lose it is more frustrating, but I thought we would win the
game tonight."
Game notes
Tampa Bay's Brad Richards has already set team records for
goals, assists, and points by a rookie. He leads NHL rookies in the
three categories. ... Nashville captain Tom Fitzgerald has played
in 192 consecutive games. ... Newly acquired goalie Wade Flaherty has been
on the rosters of the NHL's worst two teams this season, the New
York Islanders and the Lightning. ... In his first six games with
Tampa Bay, Matthew Barnaby has 31 penalty minutes. ... Tampa Bay is
one of three NHL teams to allow over 200 goals, and all are in the
Eastern Conference (New York Rangers and Atlanta).
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Nashville Clubhouse
RECAPS
Carolina 5
Boston 4
Minnesota 3
San Jose 1
Chicago 3
Los Angeles 0
Ottawa 4
Montreal 0
Detroit 2
Dallas 1
Nashville 3
Tampa Bay 2
Calgary 4
Phoenix 1
Vancouver 3
NY Islanders 2
|
