Fisher helps Predators beat Flames 5-3

[March 22, 2013]  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Mike Fisher scored two goals and the Nashville Predators beat the Calgary Flames 5-3 on Thursday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

Martin Erat, Nick Spaling, and Brandon Yip had the other goals for the Predators, and Pekka Rinne made 19 saves.

Mark Giordano, Blake Comeau, and Jarome Iginla scored for the Flames, who have dropped eight consecutive road games.

The Predators grabbed control with four consecutive goals beginning late in the first period and carrying over to the third.

Fisher converted a nice feed from Erat to tie it at 2 in the first, then put Nashville in front at 13:24 of the middle period. Carrying the puck down the right side, Roman Josi threw a pass to Fisher on the left side, and he beat Miikka Kiprusoff for his ninth of the season.

Just a minute later, Spaling deflected a slap shot from defenseman Victor Bartley by Kiprusoff for his sixth on the year. The assist was Bartley's first NHL point.

Yip provided another insurance goal at 15:54 of the third, and Iginla scored a power-play goal with one minute remaining.

Giordano got Calgary off to a nice start with a short-handed goal at 5:01 of the opening period. Lee Stempniak forced a turnover by Josi and carried the puck in along the left side before finding Giordano above the left circle, where he fired a one-timer by Rinne for his third on the season.

Erat responded with a power-play goal at 11:36 when he redirected Josi's slap shot from the blue line by Kiprusoff, who finished with 18 stops.

Calgary came up with another short-handed goal when Giordano made a nice pass from the left faceoff dot to Comeau, who was coming down the right side. He tipped the puck by Rinne for his fourth of the season at 13:05.

Nashville has allowed three short-handed goals in its last three games and four this season, equaling its total from the 2011-12 season.

NOTES: Calgary D Jay Bouwmeester recorded an assist for his 300th career NHL point. ... Stempniak has a goal and five assists in his last four games. ... Fisher has points in five consecutive games, a season-long streak. ... Nashville C Craig Smith didn't play for the first time this season.

[Associated Press; By JIM DIAMOND]

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