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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Upon further review, the Nashville
Predators have a three-game winning streak.
|  | | Nashville's David Legwand, left, battles Atlanta's Shean Donovan for possession in the opening period. |
Predators rookie Marian Cisar had a goal and an assist during a
three-goal first period in a 4-3 victory Tuesday night over the
skidding Atlanta Thrashers. Nashville survived a video reversal of
the apparent tying goal with 2.1 seconds left to get the win.
On the final play Atlanta's Yves Sarault hit the puck out of the
air over his shoulder with his right glove, with a motion like a
basketball hook shot. Jarrod Skalde then swung at it near the right
post and the puck went in the goal.
After a delay of several minutes, it was ruled that the goal did
not count because Sarault directed the puck into the goal with his
hand. Then video replay official Bob Sloan and NHL supervisor Jim
Christison said that Skalde may have hit the puck, but that
Sarault's pass to Skalde was a hand pass.
"It was going to be no goal regardless, but the reason it was
called back was because of a hand pass from one player to
another," Christison said.
Nashville coach Barry Trotz said: "It was directed into the
net, plain and simple. If they touch it on the way in, it is a
glove pass."
The Predators won their third straight game, all at home, to
move within five points of eighth-place Edmonton for the final
playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Atlanta's winless streak grew to 12 games (0-9-3), although the
Thrashers battled back from a 4-1 deficit to make it close.
The home wins are critical for the Predators, the fourth-worst
team in the NHL on home ice (8-12-6). Nashville's three-game home
winning streak is its longest since Jan. 1, 2000.
Cisar put the Predators up 1-0 at 1:55, putting a shot between
the pads of Damian Rhodes for his eighth goal of the year. Rob
Valicevic made it 2-0 from the right circle with a snap wrist shot
at 3:51.
Drake Berehowsky connected from the left side on the rebound of
Cisar's power-play shot, for a 3-0 lead at 12:35.
"The first period they were embarrassing us out there,"
Atlanta All-Star forward Donald Audette said. "That's not the way
to go. The easiest thing you can do is work hard."
Audette returned for Atlanta after serving a four-game
suspension. He cut the lead to 3-1 at 1:49 of the second on the
power play, tipping Gord Murphy's shot from the point underneath
goalie Mike Dunham.
Karlis Skrastins' one timer-from the slot moments later put the
Predators up 4-1 but Herbert Vasiljevs cut it to a two-goal game
with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle at 7:53 of the
second.
Sarault made it 4-3 at 1:53 of the third. Dunham stopped his
first shot, but the rebound hit Sarault as he was being checked in
the crease and went over the goal line. Later in the period, Dunham
stopped Audette and Patrik Stefan at point-blank range.
"We had too many guys that aren't ready to play off the hop,"
Thrashers coach Curt Fraser said. "Once we made a few adjustments
and boom, away we go and we were ready to play."
Game notes
The Thrashers' only shutout this season came against the
Predators on Nov. 15, when Milan Hnilicka stopped 37 shots. ... The
Predators, 2-7-0-2 in the back end of consecutive games, play at
Detroit on Wednesday. ... The Thrashers allowed two power-play
goals seven times during their winless streak. They tied a team
record by scoring three times with the man advantage in Sunday's
4-4 tie with the Islanders. ... Dunham went 2-1 with a 0.99
goals-against average last week with one shutout. ... Atlanta has
four players with more penalty minutes than Berehowsky, Nashville's
leader.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Nashville Clubhouse
RECAPS
Columbus 2
Buffalo 1
St. Louis 5
Montreal 2
Ottawa 3
NY Islanders 2
Washington 5
Tampa Bay 2
Nashville 4
Atlanta 3
Phoenix 4
Calgary 2
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