Kostitsyns connect in Predators’ win over Wings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Andrei Kostitsyn was assisted by his brother, Sergei, on a pair of power-play goals to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

Patric Hornqvist also scored for Nashville. Drew Mller and Justin Abdelkader had goals for Detroit. Both teams scored within a 13-second span of the first period.

Pekka Rinne made 35 saves for his 38th win of the season. Joey MacDonald stopped 17 shots for Detroit.

David Legwand skated on the left side, and Hornqvist on the right on a 2-on-1 break. Legwand passed to Hornqvist, who scored on a wrist shot on a backdoor play that caught MacDonald too far out of the net at 7:30. Hornqvist leads the Predators with 21 goals.

Miller answered at 7:43 when he won a battle behind the net for the puck and then bounced a shot from the right side in off Rinne.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored on the power play at the 11:59 of the first to put the Predators back in front 2-1. Sergei Kostitsyn made a short pass to his brother who did a spin-around move to beat MacDonald on the left side. It was the first time the brothers had teamed up for a goal for Nashville.

At 4:34 of the third period the Kostitsyn brothers connected again on the power play. Andrei scored from low on the left side off a pass from Sergei. It was Andrei’s first multiple-goal game of the season.

With 5:25 remaining, Abdelkader fired a shot and then put the rebound over Rinne’s shoulder from low in the slot.

NOTES: Andrei Kostitsyn has six points (three goals, three assists) in five games for Nashville. ... Legwand had a season-high three assists, his second multiple-assist game in six contests. ... MacDonald played in his 100th NHL game. ... It was the 20th sellout of the season for Nashville, tying the team record set during the 1999-2000 season.