Fitzgerald’s Goal Lifts Predators, 4-3

The Nashville Predators believe the worst of their growing pains are behind them. They needed no more proof than a gritty victory over the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils.

The third-year team pulled out a 4-3 victory Wednesday night when Tom Fitzgerald scored with 16.7 seconds to play in the third period at East Rutherford, N.J. The Devils, trailing 3-1 late in the third period, stormed back to tie the score on goals by Sergei Nemchinov and Brian Rafalski 26 seconds apart.

Rather than crumble in the face of the Devils’ onslaught, the Predators regained their composure and Fitzgerald poked in the winner in a goal-mouth scramble in the waning seconds.

“In the past we’ve lost these games,” Fitzgerald said. “We seem to be a lot more poised on the bench. We said we had been playing well, just keep it going. We were going to go down fighting.”

Detroit 4, Phoenix 2--Brendan Shanahan scored a goal and had two assists at Phoenix as the Red Wings ended the third-longest unbeaten streak in Coyote franchise history.

Backup goalie Manny Legace had 26 saves in another strong game for the Red Wings. He is 5-1.

The Coyotes went undefeated in 12 consecutive games (7-0-5), but showed signs their momentum was slowing near the end when they went into overtime in their last three games before Wednesday.

The 1984-85 Winnipeg Jets went 13 games without a loss, and the 1998-1999 Coyotes went 14.

San Jose 3, Chicago 2--Marco Sturm scored his second goal with 15.9 seconds to play in overtime at Chicago.

Sturm scored with 9.5 seconds remaining in the third period to force the extra session as the Sharks extended their unbeaten streak to 7-0-2, equaling a team record.

Sturm scored the winner after racing down the Chicago slot and working a give-and-go with Gary Suter.

Pittsburgh 5, Philadelphia 2--Alexei Kovalev scored the Penguins’ first three goals at Pittsburgh.

Kovalev scored two goals in the first period and added a third goal to make the score 3-1. Kovalev’s hat trick was the third of his career and his first since Oct. 16, 1996, for the New York Rangers against the Penguins.

Toronto 5, Carolina 0--Curtis Joseph made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season, and Gary Roberts had two goals and an assist at Toronto.

Montreal 4, Florida 2--The Canadiens, ending a five-game losing streak, won a matchup of last-place teams at Sunrise, Fla., by scoring two goals on the power play and one while short-handed.

Calgary 1, Minnesota 0--Mike Vernon stopped 22 shots for his first shutout this season and Valeri Bure scored the game’s only goal at St. Paul, Minn.