Predators post another one-goal victory over slumping Blues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- J.P. Dumont scored the tying goal and assisted on the game-winner as the Nashville Predators beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 Thursday night.

Jerred Smithson and Greg de Vries also scored and Jan Hlavac had three assists to help the Predators beat the Blues for the second time in three nights.

Jay McClement and David Backes scored for the Blues.

Dumont took a pass from Hlavac midway in the slot and put a one-time past St. Louis goalie Hannu Toivonen to tie the score 2-2 with 2:14 left in the second period.

De Vries put the Predators in front at 4:01 of the third period, beating Toivonen from high inside the right circle with a wrist shot.

Nashville won five of the last six meetings with St. Louis, with the wins all coming by one goal.

Smithson scored a short-handed goal, his second of the season, with 8 minutes left in the first to put the Predators up 1-0. Hlavac took a shot from the right side that bounced high off the chest of Toivonen, and Smithson skated in and batted the puck into the net from waist high.

McClement tied the game at the 6:27 mark of the second period. He skated into the left circle and fired a wrist shot that bounced off the top post and into the net past Predators goalie Dan Ellis.

At 10:14 of the second period, Andy McDonald skated in through the left circle and centered the puck to Backes, who beat Ellis to his glove side with a wrist shot.