Pro Sports

Wild loss means Blackhawks clinch top seed in West; home ice through playoffs

Posted April 01, 2017 7:00 am

By TERESA M. WALKER

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9), of Sweden, celebrates after scoring a goal against Minnesota Wild goalie Alex Stalock (32) and defenseman Ryan Suter (20) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Filip Forsberg and Kevin Fiala scored 10 seconds apart late in the second period, and the Nashville Predators beat the Minnesota Wild 3-0 Saturday.

Pekka Rinne made 31 saves for his third shutout this season as the Predators snapped a two-game skid with a victory that tied them with the St. Louis Blues at 91 points. The Blues hold the tiebreaker, and the Predators visit St. Louis on Sunday.

The Wild lost for the fifth time in six games after finishing March 4-10-2.

Coach Bruce Boudreau took a timeout with 2:43 left in the second period, and that's when the Predators took control.

Forsberg scored his 31st by tipping the puck in at 17:21 - just 4 seconds after the Wild timeout. Then Fiala scored unassisted, skating in front of the crease and putting a wrister into the open net past goalie Alex Stalock 10 seconds later.

P.K. Subban added a long empty-net goal with 2:23 left.

Now the Predators need only a point to clinch a third straight playoff berth. With Minnesota's loss, Chicago locked up the Central Division title and the top seed in the Western Conference.

After a scoreless first period, Nashville got the first man advantage when Wild center Mikko Koivu tripped defenseman Roman Josi at 4:33 of the second. Just after the power play ended, Stalock came out to the edge of the crease to smother a shot from Calle Jarnkrok.

Minnesota stuck with Stalock for a second straight start after he made 18 saves in a 5-1 win over Ottawa on Thursday night, his first start for the Wild this season.

Together, Stalock and Rinne put on a goalie showcase early.

Zach Parise, who missed a game with an eye injury, popped Rinne's mask off with a shot at 8:33 of the second. Rinne quickly stopped a slap shot from Christian Folin and a wrister from Parise after putting his mask back on.

Then Boudreau took his timeout. The Predators came in outscoring opponents by the NHL's biggest margin in the second period and showed why almost immediately.

Nashville improved to 28-1-5 when leading after two periods, with Rinne helping shut out the Western Conference's top-scoring team. The Wild came in having scored 249 goals, second-best in the NHL, and couldn't beat Rinne. He posted his first shutout since Feb. 2 when he made 19 saves against Edmonton.

His best save came with 2:38 left. Mikael Granlund was a few feet from the net, shooting at an empty net, when Rinne reached back and got enough of his glove on the puck to deflect it off the post behind him.

NOTES: Predators forward James Neal, who took a puck off the side of his head in Thursday night's loss to Toronto, missed the game. Forward Craig Smith returned after missing that game with an upper-body injury. ... Josi now has 26 points in 26 games (six goals, 20 assists). ... Nashville forward Colin Wilson played in his 500th career NHL game.

UP NEXT

Wild: Host Colorado on Sunday.

Predators: Visit St. Louis on Sunday.

Nashville Predators left wing Kevin Fiala (56), of Czech Republic, scores a goal past Minnesota Wild goalie Alex Stalock (32) as defenseman Christian Folin (5), of Sweden, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35), of Finland, mask falls off after stopping a shot against the Minnesota Wild during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators defenseman Anthony Bitetto (2) battles Minnesota Wild's Erik Haula (56), of Finland, and Joel Ericsson Ek (14), of Sweden, for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators right wing Craig Smith (15) and Minnesota Wild center Mikael Granlund (19), of Finland, fight to get control of the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen (92) gets tangled up with Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25), of Sweden, chasing the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Minnesota Wild goalie Alex Stalock, bottom left, blocks a shot by Nashville Predators center Calle Jarnkrok (19), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators left wing Viktor Arvidsson (38), of Sweden, collides with Minnesota Wild left wing Zach Parise (11) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, center, of Finland, blocks a shot by Minnesota Wild center Mikael Granlund (64), of Finland, as defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) The Associated Press

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