Predators score twice in 3rd period to top Wild 3-1

Minnesota Wild left wing Erik Haula (56), of Finland, clears the puck away from Nashville Predators center Filip Forsberg (9), of Sweden, as Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, left, of Finland, covers the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) (The Associated Press)

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, center, of Finland, stops a shot by Nashville Predators center Olli Jokinen (13), of Finland, in front of Wild defenseman Nate Prosser (39) and Predators center Colin Wilson (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) (The Associated Press)

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Calle Jarnkrok scored a tiebreaking goal early in the third period and the Nashville Predators beat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Saturday.

Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson also scored for Nashville, which improved to 9-1-2 in its past 12 games and has a league-best 60 points. Pekka Rinne made 36 saves.

Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, which has lost 10 of 12 and began a three-games-in-four-days stretch that includes games in Chicago on Sunday and Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Jarnkrok broke a 1-all tie at 3:48 of the third period.

Zach Parise returned for Minnesota after missing two games because of the death of his father. Parise nearly scored in the first 25 seconds and was robbed later in the period by Rinne after a lead pass from Thomas Vanek.

A slap shot from Shea Weber at the right point hit Olli Jokinen who was skating across the slot, but the latter was able to get off a shot that was saved by Niklas Backstrom.

However, the rebound went to Jarnkrok at the edge of the slot and his quick shot easily beat Backstrom lunging back across the crease.

Wilson added a goal 5 minutes later, beating Backstrom with a backhand after Wild defenseman Justin Falk turned the puck over to Wilson alone in front of the net.

Nashville entered the game with 43 goals in its past 11 games and was averaging 32.1 shots per game this season, third best in the league. The Predators finished with 27 shots.

Minnesota had allowed 44 goals in its past 11 games and early on it looked as though the defensive woes would continue when a Wild miscue led to a Predators goal 4 minutes into the game.

With three Wild players below the goal line, Wilson won control of the puck and passed out front to a wide-open Fisher. He cut left and backhanded the puck over Backstrom for his second goal in three games.

The Predators are 15-1-2 when scoring first.

Minnesota tied the game 10 minutes later when a shot from Christian Folin near the goal line along the right wall got through traffic to Coyle, who was alone at the left post for a tap-in.

NOTES: Coyle scored two goals in his first five games of the season and has two in 35 games since. ... Wild D Marco Scandella missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Nashville C Matt Cullen (upper-body injury) returned after missing six games and LW Taylor Beck (illness) returned after missing four. ... Wild RW Nino Niederreiter has 14 goals this season, but hasn't scored in 11 games. ... The division rivals play three more times this season, all in Nashville. ... Since Dec. 31, 2010, Nashville is 11-3-3 against Minnesota.