Predators 6, Sharks 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Recent call-up Viktor Arvidsson scored twice and goalie Pekka Rinne made 28 saves, leading the Nashville Predators to a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
Left winger James Neal, center Filip Forsberg, defenseman Shea Weber and center Callie Jarnkrok also scored for Nashville (25-20-8), which ended a three-game home losing streak at Bridgestone Arena.
Centers Joe Thornton and Logan Couture scored for the Sharks (27-20-4), whose 17-8-2 road record is the best in the Western Conference. The Sharks fell to 9-2-2 in their last 13 games.
Rinne, a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, regained his form after allowing six goals in Thursday's loss to Philadelphia.
San Jose goalie Martin Jones cooled off as he allowed five goals. He was 8-1-1 in his previous 10 starts and has an NHL-best 15-5-2 road record.
The Sharks dominated play early, taking eight of the game's first nine shots, but Rinne stopped them all.
Nashville scored on its third shot when Neal fired a slap shot from the low slot past Jones, giving the Predators a 1-0 lead at 13:12 of the first period.
Center Ryan Johansen set Neal up with a nice pass from behind the net.
Neal leads the Predators with 19 goals.
Nashville right winger Craig Smith got loose on a breakaway, but Jones deflected his wrist shot with his glove two minutes into the second period.
Jones wasn't as fortunate 12 minutes later when left winger Callie Jarnkrok's wrist shot from the mid-slot bounced over his glove into the net to increase the Predators' lead to 2-0 at 6:26 of the second period.
Johansen assisted on the play, giving him 14 points in 13 games since arriving in a trade with Columbus on Jan. 6.
Jarnkrok also scored in Thursday's 6-3 loss to Philadelphia, giving him nine goals this season.
Thornton cut Nashville's lead in half when he swatted a loose puck in the crease into the net, narrowing the deficit to 2-1 at 15:41 of the second period.
Nashville responded quickly when right winger Viktor Arvidsson roofed a wrist shot that beat Jones glove side, increasing the Predators' lead to 3-1 at 17:01 of the second period. Arvidsson was recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Monday.
Forsberg's short-handed goal built Nashville's lead to 4-1 at 6:51 of the third period as he beat Jones with a wrist shot to the far post.
Arvidsson scored his second goal on a two-on-one breakaway, deking Jones before sliding a backhander past him to give the Predators a 5-1 lead at 8:44 of the third period.
Forsberg, who had two assists, now has 101 career points.
Couture's slap shot narrowed San Jose's deficit to 5-2 at 13:37 of the third period.
Weber's unassisted empty-net goal increased Nashville's lead to 6-2 with 4:37 left.
NOTES: Predators C Mike Ribeiro played in his 1,000th career game, becoming the 22nd active NHL player and 300th all time to reach the milestone. He was Montreal's second-round pick in the 1998 draft. ... Nine of the Sharks' first 11 games after the NHL All-Star break are on the road. ... San Jose RW Joel Ward, 35, played three seasons for Nashville from 2008 to 2011 early in his career. ... Sharks RW Joe Pavelski entered with eight game-winning goals, tied with Chicago's Jonathan Toews for the most in the NHL.