Despite improvements, Blues fall to Predators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jason Arnott scored a power-play goal and assisted on another in the Nashville Predators' 3-2 victory against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Nashville beat St. Louis for the 13th straight time, including fifth this season. The previous three games went into overtime and two were decided by shootouts.

Vernon Fiddler and J.P Dumont also scored for Nashville.

Martin Rucinsky and Lee Stempniak had the goals for St. Louis.

The Predators got on the board first. Josef Vasicek shot the puck toward goalie Manny Legace. Fiddler moved in from the right side and used his skate to slide the puck past Legace, knocking the goal off its posts in the process at 2:08.

St. Louis Blues right wing Jamal Mayers, right, landed a punch against Nashville right wing Jordin Tootoo in the second period Saturday night.

St. Louis answered at 18:13. Rucinsky's shot bounced off the stick of Nashville defenseman Dan Hamhuis, as the Blues forward was spread flat on the ice in front of the net, and slid under goalie Chris Mason's legs.

Arnott fired a one-timer from the middle of the left circle for a power-play goal at 11:20 of the second period.

Nashville's 2-1 lead was short-lived. Just 17 seconds later, Stempniak took a one-timed shot from the right circle that beat Mason high to his glove side.

Dumont gave Nashville a 3-2 advantage with a power-play goal from the right circle at 15:48 of the third period. He bounced the puck off of the right leg of St. Louis defenseman Jay McKee and into the net.

St. Louis fell to 6-4-3 under Andy Murray, who replaced Mike Kitchen as the coach earlier this season.

The Blues had reeled off a recent 5-1 streak that helped them close within nine games of the playoff teams, although they still have the fewest points in the Western Conference at 33 points, two behind Los Angeles.

Nashville is second in the conference with 57 points.

Noteworthy

• Fiddler's first-period goal ended a streak of 12 games in which St. Louis had shut down the opposition in the first period. The Blues' streak tied an NHL record.
• Arnott has scored seven goals in eight games.
• Stempniak has six points in six games (three goals, three assists).
• Mason has started 21 straight games, one short of tying the longest streak in the NHL this season.