Los Angeles Kings 4, Nashville Predators 1
BOXSCORE
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Eventually, the Los Angeles Kings may regret trading All-Star defenseman Rob Blake. But their focus right now is on returning to the playoffs.
Rookie Lubomir Visnovsky had a goal and an assist and Felix Potvin made 20 saves as the Kings defeated the Nashville Predators, 4-1, for their third win in four games. Visnovsky snapped a 1-1 tie at 6:45 of the opening period when he interecpted pass just inside the Nashville zone and fired a slap shot past goaltender Mike Dunham for his seventh goal. Visnovsky also set up Glen Murray's power-play goal that capped the scoring with 7:26 left in the third.
Potvin allowed only Patric Kjellberg's 12th goal on a rebound 6:31 into the third period and improved to 6-2-1 since being acquired from Vancouver on February 15. The Kings are 6-1-1 since Blake was traded to Colorado for right wing Adam Deadmarsh, defenseman Aaron Miller, a conditional draft pick and a prospect to be named. Los Angeles climbed within three points of Edmonton for the final Western Conference postseason berth.
Dunham made 15 saves as Nashville lost for the fourth time in five games. The Predators dropped eight points behind the Kings.
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