Predators Snap Wild's 3-Game Streak, 3-2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
Filip Forsberg and James Neal also scored for Nashville, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Shea Weber had two assists, and Pekka Rinne stopped an early penalty shot.
Zach Parise and Jason Zucker had goals for the Wild, who had won three in a row.
Forsberg scored 46 seconds into the game. Standing in front of Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, Forsberg was able to redirect Weber's wrist shot from the left point for his seventh of the season.
Dubnyk finished with 36 saves.
Rinne did not face a Wild shot on goal until 8:28 of the first period, and it came on Zucker's penalty shot.
Zucker was hooked from behind on a breakaway by Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis. Rinne was able to glove down the backhand attempt.
Ribeiro doubled Nashville's lead at 14:11 of the first.
With the Predators on their second two-man advantage of the first period, Ribeiro tipped Weber's one-timer from the high slot by Dubnyk for his fourth of the season.
Neal made it 3-0 at 8:06 of the second with a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Dubnyk to the short side.
Less than a minute later, Minnesota cut it to 3-1 when Marco Scandella's slap shot deflected off Parise and by Rinne at 8:49.
Zucker corralled a puck in the slot following a faceoff and snapped a wrist shot high to Rinne's glove side to make it 3-2 at 8:35 of the third.
Rinne finished with 20 saves.
NOTES: Parise extended his scoring streak to seven games, his longest as a member of the Wild. . Nashville is 10-1-2 when leading after two periods. . Ribeiro's goal was his first since Dec. 1.
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