Pekka Rinne turned aside 24 shots and Colton Sissons got the winner as the Nashville Predators defeated the Calgary Flames by a 3-1 final on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena, taking five of six points from the Flames in the season series. The victory gives Nashville 37 wins and 85 points, and to collect it against one of the NHL's hottest teams doesn't hurt either.
"That's a huge win against a good team," Rinne said. "They've been really hot as of late and they came hard, I thought the first and second, and then in the third period, I think that we locked it down pretty good. We didn't give them a lot. It's a big character win. It's not always pretty, and it's not always a fancy game, but it's efficient and we delivered tonight."
A scoreless first period gave way to a second stanza that saw the Preds register only three shots, but come away with two goals, with tallies from Calle Jarnkrok and Colton Sissons for a 2-0 Nashville lead. Craig Smith set up Jarnkrok - his third primary assist in his last two games - and Colin Wilson collected his second helper of the night on the Sissons tally.
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© John Russell