Saros, Predators shut out Hurricanes, gain in West wild card

NASHVILLE -- Juuse Saros made 33 saves for the Nashville Predators in a 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Mark Jankowski had a goal and assist, and Spencer Stastney had two assists for the Predators (40-30-8), who moved within one point of the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
"We know the position we're in, and we take our guys against anyone," Jankowski said. "We're not backing down. We see who's across the ice there and we're not backing down from anyone. We believe in this group, no matter who we're playing against."
It was Saros' second shutout of the season. He made 97 saves on 100 shots in two wins against the Hurricanes this season.
"The foundation of our team is strong goaltending," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "He obviously made some big saves at key times for us. They're a team that throws a lot of pucks to the net. They have a lot of traffic, and he found pucks. I thought he was really good with his rebound control so there weren't a lot of second or third opportunities at the net front."

Frederik Andersen made 20 saves for the Hurricanes (50-19-9), whose three-game win streak ended.
Carolina is in first place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils, who won 8-1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
"In this league, when you're down two, it's not easy no matter who you are playing against," Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. "They did a good job of really just blocking shots and getting in lanes and really battling. They looked like they were more desperate than us. It's pretty obvious and they got the two points."
Jankowski gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 7:47 of the first period with a short-handed goal. Stastney's break-out pass found Jankowski at the red line, and he kept the puck on a 2-on-1 rush for a shot high to Andersen's glove side.
Three minutes later, Michael McCarron made it 2-0 at 10:47. He fired a cross-ice pass from the right corner into the crease, and the puck bounced in off Andersen's right skate.
"To see some guys going to the net, it's never a bad idea to put some pucks at [Andersen's] feet," McCarron said. "Slings from the corner were one of the things we talked about before the game because they're man on man, and guys can get lost in the net front. It just so happened that it went in for me tonight."

The Hurricanes appeared to cut Nashville's lead to 2-1 with 37 seconds left in the second period when Brady Skjei sent a slap shot from the top of the face-off circle past Saros' glove. But Nashville challenged for goalie interference, and video review determined Martin Necas brushed Saros' glove while in the crease.
"We fought hard to kind of get back in the game and … I know it's a goalie interference," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "It didn't impact the play. I mean, he didn't see it anyway, but, you know, it's one of those that's the rule. So tough, tough night."
The Hurricanes had another goal overturned 3:59 into the third period. Brent Burns shot past Saros from near center ice, but it was waved off for offside.
Dante Fabbro scored an empty-net goal at 17:16 for the 3-0 final.
The Predators play at Winnipeg on Saturday and at Calgary on Monday.
"It's going to be a great road trip," Jankowski said. "It's a lot of fun. We play in a lot of good, important meaningful games. It's obviously no different with these two coming up."
NOTES:Carolina forward Teuvo Teravainen, who returned after missing four games because of illness, had two shots in 16:30 ice time … Predators forward Zach Sanford, recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Thursday, had two blocked shots in 12:05 ice time … Defenseman Jake Livingstone, who made his NHL debut, had one shot in 16:08. Livingstone signed a one-year, entry-level contract with Nashville on March 29 after playing three seasons at Minnesota State … Forwards Filip Forsberg, Juuso Parssinen and Cole Smith, and defenseman Alexandre Carrier wore non-contact jerseys in an optional morning skate Thursday and did not play.