Rinne backstops Predators to 6-1 win over Blues

[February 06, 2013]  ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Martin Erat had a goal and two assists, Pekka Rinne stopped 31 shots and the Nashville Predators broke out of a season-long scoring slump with three first-period goals on the way to a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

Ryan Ellis, Rich Clune and Nick Spaling scored in the opening period for Nashville, which won its third in a row. The Predators entered with an NHL-low 12 regulation goals in their first eight games.

St. Louis lost its second straight after winning four in a row from Jan 24-31.

Nashville completed a 4-2-1 road trip, tying the longest in franchise history. St. Louis beat the Predators 3-0 on Jan. 24, the second leg of the trip.

Rinne improved to 3-2-3 this season. Colin Wilson had three assists for the Predators.

Six players scored for Nashville -- five in the first 30:09.

Alex Pietrangelo scored his second goal of the season for the Blues, who had won six of their first eight games.

Nashville scored three times on its first eight shots against Brian Elliott. Ellis scored on the power play 2:10 into the game on assists from Wilson and Erat. The goal snapped the Predators' scoring drought of 184 minutes, 54 seconds in St. Louis dating to Dec. 30, 2011. It also halted an 0-for-17 skid on the power play.

Clune and Spaling scored 3:20 apart late in the first period to push the lead to 3-0.

Elliott, who gave up four goals on 11 shots, was replaced by Jake Allen midway through the second period. Kevin Klein and Gabriel Bourque added second-period goals to put the Predators in front 5-0.

The Blues had allowed just seven goals in the first period over their first eight games.

NOTES: The Predators will host Los Angeles on Thursday in their first home game since Jan. 21. ... St. Louis G Jaroslav Halak is out with a groin injury sustained last Friday in Detroit. He is expected to practice this Friday. ... Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko had a five-game point streak snapped. ... Nashville forward Patric Hornqvist is out at least three weeks with a knee sprain sustained Jan. 26 at Anaheim. ... The Blues gave up five goals or more for only the third time in their last 51 home games. ... St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher was in attendance. ... Five of the Predators' nine games this season have gone to a shootout.

[Associated Press]

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