Predators 7, Blackhawks 2
Craig Smith had a goal and two assists and Nashville celebrated its return home from a lengthy road trip by thrashing Chicago to snap a four-game losing streak.
Matt Cullen, Patric Hornqvist and captain Shea Weber each had a goal and an assist and Nick Spaling, former Blackhawk Viktor Stalberg and Mike Fisher also tallied for the Predators, who were outscored 17-2 in the final four contests of their seven-game, 17-day trek. Rookie Marek Mazanec earned his first NHL victory by making 39 saves to halt the Blackhawks' four-game winning streak.
Patrick Kane and Brandon Pirri scored for Chicago, which lost backup goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin to a lower-body injury late in the first period. Corey Crawford turned aside 17 shots as the Blackhawks absorbed their first regulation defeat in nine games (7-1-1).
Nashville got a pair of goals 57 seconds apart from Cullen and Spaling to take a 2-0 lead against Khabibulin, who was hurt with 4:27 left in the opening period. Hornqvist tipped in a slap shot by defenseman Roman Josi on the power play and Smith put a backhander by Crawford for a 4-0 edge at 18:18 of the second period but Kane got the Blackhawks on the board 26 seconds later.
Pirri's goal shortly after a power play expired cut the deficit to 4-2 at 6:14 of the third, but Stalberg abruptly halted the comeback by scoring 15 seconds later to restore the three-goal edge. Fisher and Weber scored less than two minutes apart to complete the drubbing.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Khabibulin, making his first start since Oct. 29, was hurt attempting to make a sprawling save and had to be assisted off the ice while hunched over. ... Josi and C David Legwand had two assists each while Weber collected his 300th career point with his assist on Hornqvist's goal. ... Blackhawks F Marian Hossa was a surprise scratch before the game due to a lower-body injury. Hossa sat out Friday's practice, but coach Joel Quenneville termed it a rest day.