Khudobin helps Stars beat Predators for 4th win in 5 games

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Anton Khudobin stopped 37 shots and the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 Saturday night.

Blake Comeau, Roope Hintz, Jamie Oleksiak and Andrew Cogliano each scored and Alexander Radulov had two assists to help the Stars win for the fourth time in five games (4-0-1).

Austin Watson scored for Nashville and Pekka Rinne finished with 18 saves. The Predators have lost two straight.

This was the first meeting between the teams since the Stars eliminated the Predators in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Nashville on the scoreboard first, as Dan Hamhuis fired a shot from just inside the blue line that was deflected by Watson from the slot at 1:04 of the second period.

The Stars roared back with four goals in the period.

Comeau tied it at 4:46 as he skated 1-on-1 through the left circle and beat Rinne to the stick side for a short-handed goal.

Hintz put the Stars ahead for good as he scored five-hole from the slot at 6:40.

Oleksiak made it 3-1 with 7:42 left in the middle period as he skated across the crease and backhanded it past a diving Rinne on his glove side for his first of the season.

Cogliano ended the scoring with a wrist shot in heavy traffic to beat Rinne from close range with 3:51 to go in the period.

NOTES: The Central Division foes will meet at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Jan. 1 for the Winter Classic. … The Predators recalled F Colin Blackwell from Milwaukee of the AHL. F Daniel Carr was reassigned. … Nashville’s Mikael Granlund has a lower body injury and is day-to-day. … Mattias Ekholm sat out the game due to illness for the Predators. … Radulov’s two assists extended his points streak to four games and gave him 10 points in his last 10 games. … Hintz extended his team lead in goals to 12. … Khudobin’s saves total was one short of his season high.

UP NEXT

Stars: Host Edmonton on Monday night. Predators: At the New York Rangers on Monday night.