Stars top Predators in Game 5, take series lead

NASHVILLE -- Alexander Radulov and Jason Dickinson each scored two goals for the Dallas Stars when they defeated the Nashville Predators 5-3 in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

The Stars lead the best-of-7 series and have won two of three games here. Dallas can win the series in Game 6 at home Monday.
Jamie Benn had three assists, and Ben Bishop made 30 saves for the Stars.
WATCH: [Stars vs. Predators Game 5 highlights | Complete series coverage]
"We're all trying to play the same way, within our system here," Benn said. "We've been successful as of late and we're just going to continue to try to play the right way."
Rocco Grimaldi, Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris scored for the Predators, and Pekka Rinne made 21 saves.
"I think we make it tough on ourselves," Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban said. "I think it's the details that are killing us. Right now, I think we're stretching our game out. And we've got to play in blocks of five and shorten the ice a little bit. We're trying to make stretch plays, and it's not working for us. That's our game plan, is to play in blocks of five, and we have to work for each other. I think once we start doing that, we'll tie the series up."

Grimaldi gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 6:25 of the first period. Roman Josi entered the zone and passed to Grimaldi, who got around Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and scored his third of the playoffs. Dickinson made it 1-1 at 13:08 of the first with his first NHL playoff goal in five games.
Radulov gave the Stars a 2-1 lead 40 seconds into the second period when he scored off a cross-ice pass from Tyler Seguin.
"It's just instincts," Seguin said. "Knew where he was going. I haven't seen the replay. I think Johansen was coming on me quick, tried to find him. [Radulov] didn't have to put it bar down. Could've just put it in the middle of the net, didn't have to worry me like that, but heck of a shot."
Radulov's fourth goal of the series gave Dallas a 3-1 lead at 7:41 of the second. Johansen's first goal made it 3-2 at 9:18 of the second.

Seguin scored at 15:54 of the second for a 4-2 lead. His line with Benn and Radulov combined for seven points (three goals, four assists), 16 shots on goal, and was plus-7.
"It was pretty impressive," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "They drove play all the time, and they wanted more ice time. A couple times [Jamie] was banging his stick and looking at me. They wanted it. They felt it, and they were playing well."
Dickinson made it 5-2 at 1:57 of the third period with a slap shot from the slot.
"I go back to it all the time, I think him and Roope [Hintz] and the deep run they had in the Calder Cup Playoffs last year (with Texas) has toughened them up, they relish these games now, they know how to execute," Montgomery said. "You see them have poise, chips in the [defensive] zone, and everything. So, I mean, it's fun to watch those young players blossom."
Turris got Nashville within 5-3 at 2:25 of the third when a pass banked in off Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak.
"We've just got to be better, myself included," Rinne said. "It's a huge game on Monday obviously, with our backs against the wall and not the situation we wanted. But you've got to give some credit to Dallas. They're playing well and right now. I feel like they have taken advantage of our mistakes. It's tough right now."

They said it

"We played a good [first] period. We knew they were going to come, their crowd was going to be in it. It was about going out there and playing our game. We've done a good job of that this series and [have] to continue to work the same way." -- Stars goalie Ben Bishop
"It seems like the mistakes that we made, they were obvious tonight. And once we made them, they were in the back of our net. I don't feel like it was a point when we were under siege. I just felt like when we made a mistake it was costly and it turned over quick and it had a result to the end of it. Those are the ones we've got to clean up." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette
"It's the right time of year for pucks to be going in. Our shooting percentage was like 8 percent in the regular season. I don't know what it is, but the last two games it's probably more like 40 percent." -- Stars coach Jim Montgomery; Dallas' shooting percentage is 18.1 percent that past two games

Need to know

Seguin finished with eight shots on goal and won 59.1 percent of his face-offs (13 of 22). … The Predators had 19 giveaways. ... Nashville forward Brian Boyle returned to the lineup after having an appendix issue that caused him to miss the prior three games. He had four shots on goal in 10:06 of ice time.

What's next

Game 6 of Western Conference First Round at American Airlines Center on Monday (8:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN1, TVAS, FS-SW, FS-TN)