National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Phoenix 7, Nashville 4
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, March 28, 2013
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Referees: Paul Devorski, Gord Dwyer
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Jay Sharrers
Attendance: 17113

Coyotes 7, Predators 4:
Radim Vrbata led the way with two goals and an assist while defenseman Rostislav Klesla notched four assists as visiting Phoenix scored five times in the first 8:26 and stunned Nashville.

Martin Hanzal added a goal and two assists while Matthew Lombardi, David Moss, Antoine Vermette and defenseman Keith Yandle also tallied for the Coyotes, who snapped a seven-game losing streak. Jason LaBarbera made 34 saves in the win.

David Legwand, Gabriel Bourque, Richard Clune and captain Shea Weber scored as the Predators had a three-game winning streak come to an end. Starting goaltender Pekka Rinne (16 saves) was pulled before being was sent back in for the second period in relief of Chris Mason, who was lifted after surrendering three goals on nine shots.

Hanzal got it started from a tough angle at 1:46 of the first period and Vrbata struck just under two minutes later on a backhand shot. Mason made his first appearance after Moss buried a rebound at 3:50, but Lombardi beat him on another long rebound and Yandle made it 5-0 on the power play to cap the outburst.

Legwand and Clune scored 30 seconds apart to cut it to 5-2, and Vrbata and Bourque traded tallies before the end of the first period. Rinne came back out for the second and gave up Vermette’s tally to make it a 7-3 gap at 2:44.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Coyotes had totaled eight goals in their previous seven games. The seven-goal output marked a season high. … Legwand and Bourque each also added an assist and Nashville RW Martin Erat recorded one helper to extend his point streak to four games. … Mason has yielded a total of eight goals on 37 shots in his last three appearances.
Top Game Performances
 
Phoenix   Nashville
Rostislav Klesla 4 Points Gabriel Bourque 2
Radim Vrbata 2 Goals Gabriel Bourque 1
Rostislav Klesla 4 Assists Gabriel Bourque 1
Keith Yandle 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jason LaBarbera .895 Save Percentage Pekka Rinne .800
Jason LaBarbera 34 Saves Pekka Rinne 16
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Phoenix 29 7 1-2 4-4 10 31
Nashville 38 4 0-4 1-2 6 23
Upcoming Games
  • Nashville will play their next game on the road against Colorado. The Predators have a W/L % of .429 after a win and .421 after a loss.
  • Phoenix will play their next game on the road against San Jose. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .385 after a win and .450 after a loss.