Hutton gets 1st NHL win, Predators beat Jets 3-1

[October 21, 2013]  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- Carter Hutton made 38 saves for his first NHL win, leading the Nashville Predators past the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Sunday night.

Eric Nystrom, Patric Hornqvist and Matt Cullen scored for Nashville. The 27-year-old Hutton was given his second career start when Predators coach Barry Trotz chose to rest Pekka Rinne after the team's victory Saturday night in Montreal.

Evander Kane had the lone goal for Winnipeg.

The Predators had only seven shots in the second period, but made three of them count as they took control of the game. The win extended Nashville's point streak to five games.

Nystrom opened the scoring 20 seconds into the second period with a short-handed effort. The left wing blocked Dustin Byfuglien's point shot, picked up the puck in the neutral zone and went the length of the ice before beating goalie Ondrej Pavelec with a wrist shot for his second of the season.

Hornqvist's third of the season made it 2-0 when he intercepted Pavelec's clearing attempt in the corner, sent the puck toward the crease and banked it into the empty net off the skate of Jets defenseman Zach Bogosian.

Cullen added to the lead with a high shot from the left circle at 14:57.

Pavelec stopped 23 shots.

Winnipeg ruined Hutton's shutout bid at 9:13 of the third period when Kane jammed in a loose puck for his fifth goal of the season.

Cullen had the best chance in a scoreless first period when he came out of the penalty box and scooped up the puck for a breakaway, only to be stopped by Pavelec. The shots were 15-12 Jets after one period.

The Jets wrap up their season-long six-game homestand Tuesday night against Washington. The Predators visit Minnesota on Tuesday before heading home for a rematch against Winnipeg on Thursday.

NOTES: Rookie D Seth Jones logged more than 26 minutes of ice time for the Predators. ... Jets forward Devin Setoguchi was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch against St. Louis on Sunday night. ... The game marked the first meeting between the franchises as Central Division rivals.

[Associated Press]

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