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  Wednesday, Nov. 24 8:00pm ET
Andreychuk matches last season's goal total
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Dave Andreychuk is making the most of his chance with Boston.

Signed in late July, the 36-year-old left wing scored the go-ahead goal in the second period Wednesday night as the Bruins beat the Nashville Predators 5-2.

"Obviously, any kind of change is going to lift you up," said Andreychuk, who is in his 18th season.

It was his 15th goal of the season, matching his total last season, when he was with the New Jersey Devils.

"I had some tough years in Jersey," he said. "This is a good fit for me here."

Andreychuk played in a career-low 52 games last season. But coming to Boston and playing for coach Pat Burns, who had been his coach in Toronto, has rejuvenated him.

"Now I really understand why he's scored so many goals in this league," Boston's Ray Bourque said. "He never gives up on the puck."

Boston, which outscored Nashville 13-3 last season in winning both games, scored four of its goals in the second on nine shots against Mike Dunham. The Bruins are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after going winless in their first nine starting the season.

Andreychuk put the Bruins ahead to stay at 3-2 with a backhanded shot that beat Dunham at 15:17. Joe Thornton and Darren Van Impe each had two assists.

The loss, the Predators' third straight, prompted a players-only meeting.

"It's a combination of being frustrated and realizing that we've beaten good hockey clubs," Cliff Ronning said. "We need to get back to keeping it simple and making the plays. We have a great goalie and good team speed."

Coach Barry Trotz has been limited by some injuries, but he had a warning for his players.

"I just told the guys, 'Don't get comfortable because you're not playing that good,' " he said.

Nashville entered the game having beaten every Northeast Division team except Boston this season, and the Predators took a 1-0 lead when Ronning scored an unassisted goal off a wrist shot from between the circles at 11:21.

The Predators, who had been undefeated in five games when leading after the first period, managed just three shots on goal in the second.

"They had us squeezing the sticks a little tighter. We didn't relax and play our game," said Ronning, who has a point in his last five games.

Boston wasted little time taking the lead, scoring twice in a 2:36 span of the second. Bourque scored from the right circle near the boards, and Sergei Samsonov put the Bruins up 2-1 with a wrist shot past Dunham's glove at seven minutes.

Nashville defenseman Craig Millar beat Byron Dafoe on a one-timer past the right post at 9:57 to tie the game, but Andreychuk's goal gave the Bruins the lead.

Mikko Eloranta padded Boston's lead with his fourth goal at 17:25, and Joe Hulbig got his first this season when he scored off his own rebound at 14:34 in the third.

 


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RECAPS
Buffalo 5
Washington 2

Vancouver 1
Carolina 1

Detroit 4
St. Louis 2

Philadelphia 6
Florida 1

NY Rangers 6
Tampa Bay 3

Boston 5
Nashville 2

Dallas 3
Los Angeles 2

Chicago 3
Edmonton 2

New Jersey 2
Anaheim 1