Rinne makes 22 saves to blank Blackhawks as Predators earn win

 

VIDEO PLAYLIST

• Predators Blank Blackhawks, 2-0

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Game Information

Arena: Sommet Center Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Referees: Stephane Auger, Eric Furlatt Linesmen: David Brisebois, Brad Kovachik

Attendance: 13,585 (79.4% full)

Team Stat Comparison
68	Goals	50
47	Goals Against	56
18	Power Play Goals	15
11	Power Play Goals Allowed	14
2	Shorthanded Goals	3
2	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	2
260	Penalty Minutes	184
12	Average Penalty Minutes	8

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			CHI	NSH
No scoring this period			0	0
2ND PERIOD			CHI	NSH
14:53		Joel Ward (Power Play) Assists: Francis Bouillon, J.P. Dumont	0	1
3RD PERIOD			CHI	NSH
19:56		Jerred Smithson (Shorthanded) (Empty net) Assists: Dave Scatchard, Kevin Klein	0	2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators put it all together -- at the Chicago Blackhawks' expense.

Fast Fact

• Pekka Rinne earned his first shutout of the season stopping 22 shots.

• This was the first time the Blackhawks have been shut out this season

• Joel Ward opened the scoring on the power play with his first goal of the season. Jerred Smithson followed with a short-handed goal.

-- ESPN Stats & Information

Rinne made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season and fifth overall, and Joel Ward scored on a second-period power play in Nashville's 2-0 victory Thursday night.

"Guys went to the net hard and battled," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "The power play came through. The penalty kill was good. We got good goaltending."

Jerred Smithson added a short-handed empty-net goal with 4 seconds left to help the Predators beat the Blackhawks for the first time in three games this season.

"You knew they were going to be hungry and desperate because the first two outcomes weren't in their favor," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "The difference was we didn't cash in on our opportunities."

Ward scored with 5:07 left in the second period. Francis Bouillon sent the puck in front of the net from the lower edge of the left faceoff circle, and Ward, stationed in front of the crease, redirected it past goalie Cristobal Huet.

"Every coach says that he wants his team to go hard to the net," Ward said. "It is important for us because of our lack of goals. We're missing Jason Arnott and Martin Erat in the lineup. We've just to to keep it simple and make things happen."

Nashville has won two straight and three of their last four games.

"We're getting lots of traffic and lot of pucks loose in the crease on the power play," Trotz said. "Our power play has come through the last couple of games.

"We're just pounding pucks, making good solid decisions and going to the hard areas. That's how you have to do it on the power play."

Pekka was coming off a 4-3 victory Wednesday night at Minnesota.

"It helps any team to get a goaltender on a roll," Trotz said. "Both Pekka and Dan Ellis have been fine."

Game notes
Chicago's Brent Seabrook was back in the lineup following what was believed to be concussion-related symptoms. ... Erat was scratched because of a lower-body injury. ... The Predators have scored a power-play goal in each of their last two games.