NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The Nashville Predators were seeking a little revenge Wednesday.
Dallas was the only team to beat the Predators in regulation in Nashville this season, and that sort of stuck in the craw of the home-standing Tennesseans. So Nashville took a 5-2 win and pushed its record at Bridgestone Arena to 7-1-1.
The win moves Nashville to 9-7-3 (21 points) and pushes the Predators ahead of Dallas in the Central Division standings. It drops the Stars to 8-8-5 (21 points) after 21 games.
Dallas had some strong moments in the game and finished with 35 shots on goal, but Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne was stellar. He has allowed three goals in the past two games and moves to 8-5-3 with the win.
Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen didn't have much chance on the goals he allowed. P.K. Subban made a great cross-ice pass to Filip Forsberg on the first goal, Mike Fisher chipped a shot under Lehtonen, Ryan Johansen scored from point-blank range and Craig Smith was part of a party of three Predators sitting alone in front of Lehtonen.
It was another display of the Stars breaking down on defense.
Satrs coach Lindy Ruff returned John Klingberg to the lineup after Klingberg was a healthy scratch on Monday, but the defense pairs didn't seem to work. Scratched defensemen Stephen Johns and Patrik Nemeth could each be candidates to return to the lineup Friday.
