CHICAGO -- Left winger Brandon Saad scored the tiebreaking goal to lift the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Sunday afternoon.

Center Jonathan Toews added a goal and an assist for Chicago, which seized a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal. Blackhawks center Andrew Desjardins and defenseman Brent Seabrook also scored.

Center Mike Ribeiro and defenseman Mattias Ekholm scored for Nashville.

The Predators never led despite outshooting the Blackhawks by a 37-30 margin.

Chicago rookie goaltender Scott Darling made 35 saves to win his first career playoff start.

Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne turned aside 26 shots in the loss.

Chicago opened the scoring on a wrist shot by Desjardins with 5:12 remaining in the first period.

Thirty-one seconds later, Nashville evened the score at 1-1 on a one-timer by Ribeiro. Predators center Craig Smith slipped a soft pass toward the slot for Ribeiro, who blasted a slap shot past Darling's glove side.

Toews gave Chicago a 2-1 lead with a wrist shot 36 seconds into the second period. Right winger Marian Hossa set up the goal with a drop pass to Toews at the top of the right circle.

Nashville answered quickly to tie the score at 2. Ekholm ripped a slap shot past Darling's stick side as center Filip Forsberg set a screen in front of the net.

Chicago regained a 3-2 lead on a takeaway and goal by Saad with 16:22 remaining in the second period. Saad carried the puck down the left side of the ice and beat Rinne on a snap shot from 26 feet for his first goal of the playoffs.

Seabrook increased the Blackhawks' lead to 4-2 when he took a pass from Toews and fired a one-timer past Rinne with 7:19 to go in the second period.

NOTES: Chicago G Scott Darling made his first career playoff start ahead of G Corey Crawford. Coach Joel Quenneville decided to bench Crawford after he allowed nine goals on 47 shots in the first two games of the series. ... Nashville D Shea Weber missed the game because of a lower-body injury that he sustained during the second period Friday. Weber also has been ruled out for Game 4 on Tuesday night. ... Chicago C Antoine Vermette and C Andrew Desjardins returned to the lineup after sitting out the series' first two games as healthy scratches. To make room, C Teuvo Teravainen and LW Joakim Nordstrom were healthy scratches for Game 3. ... Nashville C Mike Fisher missed his second consecutive game because of a lower-body injury. Fellow C Mike Santorelli replaced Fisher in the lineup.