Nashville 3, Chicago 1
When: 8:30 PM ET, Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Referees:
Dave Jackson, Brad Watson
Linesmen:
Pierre Champoux, Bryan Pancich
Attendance:
21279
By SportsDirect Inc.
Pekka Rinne turned aside 24 shots to win his career-best ninth consecutive start and lead the visiting Nashville Predators to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
Craig Smith, Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson scored goals as the Predators extended their winning streak to four games and notched their 12th victory in 14 games.
Renne allowed only a third-period power-play goal by Dave Bolland to secure his 12th win in 13 starts and help the Predators pull into a tie with Chicago for third place in the Central Division.
Nashville, which has won nine of its last 10 against division foes, capitalized on a pair of turnovers by the Blackhawks in the opening period to seize a 2-0 lead.
Smith made it 1-0 at 11:49 following a giveaway by Sean O'Donnell, and Fisher doubled the margin six minutes later by whipping a wrist shot past Corey Crawford after Patric Hornqvist forced a mistake in Chicago's end.
Bolland cut the deficit in half at 7:20 of the third but Rinne held off Chicago until Wilson scored into an empty net with 13 seconds left.
The Blackhawks were playing without captain and leading goal scorer Jonathan Toews, who suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday's 5-2 loss at Nashville.
Top Game Performances
Nashville |
|
Chicago |
Mike Fisher 1 |
Points |
David Bolland 1 |
Mike Fisher 1 |
Goals |
David Bolland 1 |
Matt Halischuk 1 |
Assists |
Marian Hossa 1 |
Colin Wilson 1 |
Power Play Goals |
David Bolland 1 |
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
Pekka Rinne .960 |
Save Percentage |
Corey Crawford .920 |
Pekka Rinne 24 |
Saves |
Corey Crawford 23 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Nashville
|
26 |
3 |
1-3 |
3-4 |
13 |
22 |
Chicago
|
25 |
1 |
1-4 |
2-3 |
11 |
38 |
Upcoming Games
-
Chicago will play their next game on the road against Vancouver. The Blackhawks have a W/L % of .586 after a win and .571 after a loss.
-
Nashville will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Predators have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .600 after a loss.