Predators Deliver in Makeup Game
The Nashville Predators started and finished with a one-goal lead.
In a game suspended two months ago when Detroit defenseman Jiri Fischer collapsed on the bench because of cardiac arrest, Scott Hartnell scored in the second period and the Predators held on to beat host Detroit, 3-2, on Monday night.
Although the teams played a full 60-minute game Monday, Nashville opened play with a 1-0 advantage on Greg Johnson’s goal from the game at Detroit on Nov. 21 that was stopped with 7:30 left in the first period.
Fischer, who attends occasional games and practices and is being treated with medicine, is undergoing regular tests and has not been cleared to play. The team has not given a timetable for the 25-year-old’s Czech’s return.
“It was the right decision to cancel our other game, especially being his friend from our national team,” said Nashville’s Tomas Vokoun, who made 39 saves. “You put life in front of everything because he was in immediate danger and he could’ve lost his life.”
The game resumed on a date originally scheduled to be Nashville’s home game against Detroit. The Predators will play that home game against the Red Wings on March 30.
The Predators are 5-0-3 in their last eight games, pulling to within of one point in the Central Division of the Western Conference-leading Red Wings. Detroit had won four straight.
“It’s a confidence-booster for everybody to win at their rink,” Vokoun said. “But the standings are so close, we can’t relax.
Dallas 4, Phoenix 1 -- Sergei Zubov scored the first of the Stars’ four straight goals at Dallas, and Marty Turco made 17 saves to help the Stars end a three-game losing streak.
Turco gave up a soft first-period goal to Dave Scatchard before settling down with the help of a tight defensive effort by his teammates. Turco had been pulled in three of his previous six games and had given up eight goals in the last 22 shots he faced.
St. Louis 4, Vancouver 0 -- At St. Louis, Curtis Sanford stopped 34 shots for his third shutout of the season and Mike Sillinger scored for the fifth straight game, helping the Blues end a nine-game losing streak.
Vladimir Orsagh, Christian Backman and Petr Cajanek also scored for the Blues, whose last victory also came over the Canucks on Jan. 2.
Calgary 3, Edmonton 1 -- Jarome Iginla scored twice and Miikka Kiprusoff made 30 saves to lead the Flames at Edmonton, Canada.
Kristian Huselius also scored and had an assist for Calgary, which has won four straight games to start a five-game trip.
Ales Hemsky scored for Edmonton, which lost its fourth straight home game.
Ottawa 4, Toronto 3 -- Daniel Alfredsson scored his 30th goal and Dominik Hasek made 23 saves at Ottawa to lead the Senators to their second home win over the Maple Leafs in three nights.
Mike Fisher, Wade Redden and Bryan Smolinski also scored for Ottawa, which beat Toronto 7-0 on Saturday. The Senators improved to 6-0 against their provincial rivals this season and have outscored them, 36-12.
Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 2 -- Mike Knuble scored the go-ahead goal with 2:05 left, and Antero Niittymaki stopped 24 shots to lead the Flyers over the Penguins at Philadelphia, handing Pittsburgh its 10th straight loss.
Michal Handzus, Petr Nedved and Simon Gagne also scored for the Flyers, who beat the lowly Penguins for the second time in three days.
Carolina 7, Montreal 3 -- Eric Staal and Justin Williams each had a goal and two assists at Raleigh, N.C., to help the Hurricanes win their eighth straight home game.
Tomas Plekanec had two goals, and Francis Bouillon also scored for the Canadiens. Montreal has lost seven straight away from home and 16 of its last 17.
Boston 3, Washington 2 -- Wayne Primeau scored twice at Washington, and the Bruins’ ended the Capitals’ season-high four-game winning streak.
Brad Boyes also scored for Boston, and Brad Isbister and Eric Nickulas each had two assists. The Bruins have won three of four games and earned points in five straight games.