Predators down Oilers
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Sergei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist as the Nashville Predators held off the Edmonton Oilers, 3-2, on Monday.
Kevin Klein and Chris Mueller also scored for the Predators, who have won three in a row since a four-game skid. Pekka Rinne made 24 saves.
"I'm sure it's going to be like this until the end of the season," Rinne said of the one-goal spread.
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Nashville activated forward Patric Hornqvist from injured reserve prior to Monday's game. He missed the previous eight games with an unspecified upper- body injury.
Taylor Hall and Shawn Horcoff lit the lamp for the Oilers, who have dropped three straight. Devan Dubnyk stopped 23-of-26 shots.
"It's not enough to play in Nashville to play 20 minutes," Edmonton head coach Ralph Kruger said.
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Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins returned to the lineup after missing two games with flu-like symptoms.
The Oilers scored on the power play at the 7:53 mark of the first period. Corey Potter's slap shot from the point deflected off Hall and past Rinne.
Kostitsyn tied the game at the 11:51 mark of the opening stanza. Mike Fisher dug the puck out of the corner and sent a pass into the goalmouth, where Kostitsyn slammed it past Dubnyk.
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At the 4:31 mark of the middle frame, Kostitsyn found a streaking Klein for an easy tap in.
Nashville made it 3-1 at 11:33 mark of the second period when Mueller ripped a shot over Dubnyk's shoulder.
Edmonton cut the gap to 3-2 at the 7:03 mark of the third. The puck went off Horcoff's skate and trickled through Rinne.
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Game Notes
Nashville took two of three from Edmonton this season ... The Predators assigned defenseman Ryan Ellis to Milwaukee of the AHL ... Nashville improved to 9-2-4 at home this season ... Nashville defenseman Scott Hannan (upper body) missed the game ... Oilers center Eric Belanger suffered a groin injury in the second period and did not return.