Predators defeat Blues 3-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Pekka Rinne made 41 saves, and Martin Erat had a goal and two assists to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

The Predators have won six of seven, while the Blues have dropped three of four.

Mike Fisher and Sergei Kostitsyn also scored for Nashville

Chris Porter had the lone goal for St. Louis.

It was the fourth meeting of the season between the Central Division rivals, with Nashville winning all four matchups so far. The Predators are 12-2-2 against the Central this season.

Erat scored the game's first goal at 6:59 of the opening period. With the Predators on the power play, Erat moved away from the right point before firing a slap shot over the glove of St. Louis goaltender Jaroslav Halak.

Fisher doubled the Nashville lead with 7:30 to go in the first. Sergei Kostitsyn had the puck behind the St. Louis goal and found Fisher in the low slot. Fisher beat Halak with a wrist shot high to the stick side.

Fisher has six goals in his last five games.

Halak, 12-2-3 in his last 17 starts, made 34 saves.

Porter cut the deficit to 2-1 at 4:01 of the third period. Porter picked the pocket of Predators rookie defenseman Roman Josi in the slot inside the Nashville zone and fired a wrist shot by a surprised Rinne.

Rinne twice denied defenseman Kris Russell late in the third, first with 8:42 remaining and then again 5 seconds later. On the second save, Rinne dove to his left after being knocked out of position making the first save on Russell.

Kostitsyn concluded the game's scoring on an empty-netter with 22.1 seconds remaining.