Predators hold on for a tie at home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Scott Walker scored a pair of power-play goals, and the Nashville Predators held on for a 2-2 tie Thursday night against the Blues.

Walker scored the first goal of the game at 12:11 of the second period. Vitali Yachmenev made a drop pass to Walker who blasted a slap shot by St. Louis goaltender Brent Johnson.

St. Louis, with only three shots in the second period, responded at 16:04 with a short-handed goal.

Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun skated out to toward the right boards and lost the puck to the Blues' Petr Cajanek, who passed it to Martin Rucinsky who had just entered the left circle.

With Vokoun unable to get back to the net quickly enough, Rucinsky fired the puck past Nashville's Adam Hall, who tried in vain to stop the shot.

Walker, stationed just to the left of the goalmouth, gave the Predators the lead again at 2:55 of the third period when he put in the rebound of a shot by Jason York for a power-play goal.

The Blues also capitalized on the power play at 7:03. Cory Stillman skated down the right side and passed the puck to the left side to Scott Mellanby who put the one-timer past Vokoun from the inside edge of the left circle.

Notes: Johnson, making his first start of the season for the Blues, turned back 37 shots. ...Nashville has scored 11 power-play goals in its last eight games. ... Walker has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his last eight games. ...Stillman moved into the scoring lead for the Blues with an assist. He has 10 goals and 20 assists. ... Mellanby has five points (four goals and one assist) in his last five games.