Predators Edge Blues, Clinch Playoff Spot in West

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - J.P. Dumont finished with a goal and an assist, as the Nashville Predators edged the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, and later clinched a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

Greg de Vries and Jerred Smithson each tallied, while Jan Hlavac added three assists for Nashville, which sits in the eighth spot in the West with 91 points. The Predators also moved within a point of Calgary for seventh, as the Flames lost to Minnesota on Thursday.

Both Nashville and Calgary clinched spots after Vancouver lost to Edmonton on Thursday night, and stayed at 88 points with one game to play. The Predators finish their season at Chicago on Friday, while the Flames are at Vancouver Saturday to conclude their campaign.

Dan Ellis stopped 27-of-29 shots in the win.

Jay McClement and David Backes scored the goals for St. Louis, which has dropped three in a row and six of seven. Hannu Toivonen stopped 27 shots in the loss.

The Blues took a one-goal lead with a pair of scores in the second period, but Nashville responded with two goals of its own.

The first came with 2:14 remaining in the middle frame, after Hlavac centered a pass from the left circle. Dumont was skating through the slot, and one- timed the puck past Toivonen to knot the game, 2-2.

De Vries netted the go-ahead score at the 4:01 mark of the third period. While in the high slot, he blasted the puck into the net by the left post. Ellis made seven saves in the period to seal the win, the Predators' second in a row, and fifth out of six.

Nashville opened the scoring with a short-handed goal. A Blues turnover led to a Predators 2-on-1 rush. Hlavac's initial shot was saved by Toivonen, but Smithson tapped the puck out of mid-air and into an open net.

The goal was reviewed, as Smithson's stick appeared to be above the crossbar when hitting the puck, but the score, which came at the 12:00 mark of the first period, was upheld.

St. Louis evened the game on a McClement slap shot at the 6:27 mark of the second, and took the 2-1 lead after Backes netted his 12th goal of the year.

On a Blues rush, Andy McDonald centered a pass for Backes, who had beat his man to the puck and redirected it past Ellis.

Game Notes

Each team was 0-for-2 on the power play...This was the second game of a home-and-home, which the Predators swept. Nashville has won five in a row against St. Louis, and won the season series, 5-2-1...The Blues finish their season with a home-and-home with Columbus.

From The Sports Network