Blackhawks pull out win over Predators
NASHVILLE -- If Saturday's battle between the Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks was indeed a playoff preview, expect a lively first-round battle.
The Predators and Blackhawks combined for 68 shots and eight goals at Bridgestone Arena, with the Blackhawks finally pulling out a 5-3 victory on Brian Campbell's game-winning goal.
Nashville is currently in third place in the Central Division, while the Blackhawks began the night in second place in the Central.
Campbell's game-winner came with just 1:05 left in the contest, as he took a cross-ice pass from Jonathan Toews and beat Juuse Saros. Patrick Kane added an empty-netter for his second goal of the contest.
Chicago won for the seventh straight time and improved to 12-1-0 in its last 13 contests. The Blackhawks have won eight straight road games.
Right winger Viktor Arvidsson had tied the contest 3-3 with 15:47 remaining in regulation with his second goal of the game -- and his 11th in the last 15 games. Arvidsson had little to shoot at from close to the goal line, but still managed to laser a wrist shot over the left shoulder of Corey Crawford.
The teams had split a pair of goals in the final minute of the second period, which finished with Chicago ahead 3-2.
Toews put Chicago up 3-1 when he scored a power-play goal with 57 seconds left in the second period. But Calle Jarnkrok answered back 14 seconds later, firing an unassisted wrist shot past Corey Crawford to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 3-2.
It had taken the Predators 21 shots to beat Crawford, but they finally did so with 7:40 left in the second period, cutting Chicago's lead to 2-1. Arvidsson outbattled Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith for a loose puck at the base of the face-off circle and whipped a quick shot past Corey Crawford for his 22nd goal of the season.
Chicago's Jordin Tootoo had given the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead with 8:57 left in the second period, when he picked up the rebound of Brent Seabrook's shot and zipped it past Saros. It marked the first goal -- and the first point -- of the season for Tootoo, who was playing his 39th game.
The Predators posted the game's first 10 shots, but the Blackhawks survived the blitz and got their legs as the first period progressed.
Chicago took a 1-0 on Kane's power-play goal with 3:37 left in the opening period. He whipped a short-range wrist shot through traffic and over the left shoulder of Saros. The two goals by Kane gave him 50 points in 53 contests against the Predators.
NOTES: The Predators played without D Ryan Ellis, who suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's loss to Montreal. He was replaced by Anthony Bitetto, who played for the first time since Feb. 2. ... The Preds scratches were Ellis, C Colton Sissons, RW P.A. Parenteau, Brad Hunt, LW Harry Zonierczyk. ... Blackhawks RW Jordin Tootoo, a fan favorite during his eight years in Nashville, dropped the gloves for a lively first-period bout with Predators LW Cody McLeod. ... Chicago scratched C Nick Schmaltz, D Johnny Oduya, C Dennis Rasmussen, G Scott Darling.