Santorelli, Erat score in shootout, Predators beat Devils 3-2

Predators beat Devils in shootout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mike Santorelli and Martin Erat scored shootout goals, and Jason Arnott had two goals in regulation in the Nashville Predators’ 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.

Pekka Rinne stopped two of New Jersey’s three shooters in the tiebreaker for his fourth consecutive victory. New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur took the loss after winning his first three shootouts of the season.

Arnott opened the scoring at 4:44 of the opening period. The former Devils player beat New Jersey’s Brian Rolston to a puck in the lower part of the right faceoff circle and directed a seemingly harmless shot on goal that slipped between Brodeur’s pads.

Zach Parise tied it at 8:35 of the first. From the left point, defenseman Colin White sent a wrist shot toward the Nashville goal. Skating through the slot, Parise was able to deflect the puck by Rinne just inside the far post.

Arnott struck again at 1:09 of the third with a power-play goal off of a deflection of J.P. Dumont’s shot. Arnott had been held without a goal in his last nine games.

When he was a member of the Devils in 2000, Arnott scored the Stanley Cup-winning winning goal in double overtime in Game 6 against the Dallas Stars.

Parise again answered back for the Devils at 4:39 of the third. Behind the Nashville goal, Dean McAmmond sent a pass to Parise who was in front of Rinne. With Nashville’s Jerred Smithson on his back, Parise was able to jam the puck in.

The goal was Parise’s team-leading 13th of the season, and seventh in his last six games. His six game goal streak ties his career high.

NOTES: McAmmond made his Devils debut Thursday night. … New Jersey’s Travis Zajac had his 100th career assist. … Devils center Dainius Zubrus didn’t return after being hit in the leg by a puck in the second period. … Dumont has assists in three straight games. … Three of the last four games between Nashville and New Jersey have gone to shootouts.