NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Erik Christensen gave the New York Rangers an extra point with a nifty move.
Christensen scored the only goal in a shootout to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
After losing in Tampa Bay on Wednesday, the Rangers shut out Florida on Friday and beat Nashville to close their three-game, four-day trip. The Predators have lost four straight, two in shootouts. Five of Nashville's last nine games have gone to shootouts.
Ryan Callahan scored for New York in regulation, and Colin Wilson connected for Nashville.
Christensen was the first player called to take part in the shootout, and he beat Pekka Rinne with an aggressive move before slipping the puck just inside the left post for his second career shootout goal in his sixth attempt. Both of his shootout goals have been winners.
"I wanted to pull him into the corner, almost so that he is sliding into the boards," Christensen said. "The momentum I am trying to create, I almost out of control too. I'm just worried about keeping the puck on my stick. You have to sell it."
After Christensen's goal, Rinne stopped attempts by rookie Derek Stepan and Callahan. New York's Henrik Lundqvist denied Nashville shooters Cal O'Reilly, Marcel Goc, and Martin Erat to make Christensen's goal stand.
"I feel good about our team," New York coach John Tortorella said. "We may not win them all. We may struggle at times, but I like what's going on with the club and have for quite a while."
Lundqvist has a 22-15 record in shootouts.
"As a goalie, you play a big part in the shootout," Lundqvist said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to help this team. I did my part, and Christensen made a great move there.
Wilson scored at 5:10 of the opening period.
Wilson took advantage of a turnover by Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi inside the New York blue line, and beat Lundqvist with a wrist shot high to the glove side.
The goal was Wilson's third of this season, but first since Oct. 24, a span of 13 games. He has a goal in each of his two career games against the Rangers.
In their last five games, the Predators have scored just five goals in regulation.
"We need more chances than that to score," Nashville captain Shea Weber said. "We need to close games out by getting two or three goals when we can and getting that lead, making it easier on ourselves when it comes to later in the game."
Callahan tied it at 13:04 of the third period.
After a long shift inside the Nashville zone, Callahan's wrist shot from the slot tucked just inside the right post for his seventh goal of the season. Nashville forward Marcel Goc was without a stick and skated to the Predators' bench just before Callahan scored.
"We had the lead, and they get their goal on a broken stick," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "The play got extended, it sort of broke down, and they had people jumping in. They were able to get a puck."
NOTES: Wilson's father, Carey, played for the Rangers. ... Rangers RW Marian Gaborik missed the game because of a flulike illness. ... Nashville C David Legwand missed his fifth consecutive game because of a lower-body injury. ... Predators D Cody Franson left early in the third after taking a stick to the throat from New York's Sean Avery. He went to the hospital for evaluation, but following the game, the Predators said that he was "fine." ... Stepan had his points streak snapped at six.
