Fisher, Predators down Flames

Nashville, TN – Mike Fisher had two goals to help the Nashville Predators take a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Martin Erat gave a goal and two assists while Nick Spaling and Brandon Yip also scored for the Predators, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Pekka Rinne turned away 19 shots in the win.

"We'll take any kind of win we can get," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz. "The thing that impressed me the most is that we didn't go in a shell like we have before we had some bad goals scored against us."

Mark Giordano had a goal and an assist while Blake Comeau and Jarome Iginla also lit the lamp for the Flames, who have lost five of their last seven. Miikka Kiprusoff was tagged for all five goals on 23 shots.

"We were lucky with those shorthanded goals we got but the rest of the game we were outworked," said Comeau. "I wish I had an answer because if we don't change it soon we're going to slip out of the race."

Calgary's first goal came when the team was shorthanded as Lee Stempniak forced a turnover from Roman Josi at the point and skated the other way. Stempniak skated down the left wing and curled around the circle before dishing it back for a one-timer by Giordano and a 1-0 lead at the 5:01 mark of the first.

The Predators got the goal back at 11:36 of the first on the power play as Josi's shot was tipped in by Erat for his fourth goal of the season.

Calgary made it 2-1 with another shorthanded goal as Comeau and Giordano worked the puck back and forth before Comeau snapped the puck home from the right side with 6:55 to play in the first.

Nashville, though, tied the game heading into the second period as Fisher got his first of the night with 1:51 to play when Erat backhanded the puck out front from behind the net and Fisher one-timed it home.

Fisher gave the Predators their first lead of the night when he tapped home a pass from Josi at the left of the net for his ninth of the season at the 13:24 mark of the second.

Spaling got his sixth of the year one minute later when Victor Bartley's hard pass from the left circle hit off of Spaling and went into the net for a 4-2 lead.

Yip scored his third of the year with 4:06 to play and Iginla notched a marker with one minute left to cap the scoring.

Game Notes

Nashville hosts Columbus on Saturday ... Calgary plays in Columbus on Friday ... The Flames had won the other meeting this season, a 6-3 decision in Calgary on March 15 ... Calgary was 1-for-3 on the power play while Nashville went 1-for-4.