NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marian Hossa scored two goals to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Hossa scores 2 goals, Saad has a goal, assist to help Blackhawks beat Predators 3-1
December 7, 2014 at 2:55AM
Brandon Saad had a goal and an assist for Chicago, which won its sixth game in a row and ninth in the last 10. With the win, the Blackhawks took over the Central Division lead.
Colin Wilson had the lone goal for Nashville, which saw its seven-game home winning streak end.
Saad scored the game's first goal at 14:53 of the opening period.
Just outside the Nashville blue line, Hossa and Duncan Keith forced a turnover by Nashville's Eric Nystrom. Saad carried the puck in on the left side and beat Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot high to the far side.
Hossa doubled the Chicago lead at 2:48 of the second.
Saad carried the puck in on the right side before sending a pass to Hossa on the left, where he had an easy tap-in for his fourth goal of the season.
Hossa ended a six-game goalless drought.
Early in the third, Wilson was able to beat Chicago's Scott Darling with a wrist shot from the left boards after it deflected off of Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Darling made 32 saves in the game.
Hossa added an empty-net goal with 1:11 remaining to account for the final margin.
Notes: Nashville D Anton Volchenkov missed the game with a lower-body injury. Wilson has goals in three of his last four games. Saad has points in four-consecutive games. Chicago D Klas Dahlbeck made his NHL debut.
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After enduring its worst loss of the season two days earlier, Minnesota turned stern.
