NASHVILLE Blue Jackets falter to Predators

Nashville got its third win, and is avoiding a repeat of last year's bad start.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nashville Predators are determined to avoid a repeat of last season's slow start.
The Predators scored three second-period goals to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 Saturday night for their third win of the season -- a total they didn't reach until Nov. 27 last season.
"In the first 10 minutes of the second period we had three goals. I compliment our guys for focusing like that," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "This start is really big for us, considering our start last year."
Denis Arkhipov finished a one-timer from the slot to beat Columbus goaltender Fred Brathwaite to his stick side at 2:27 for the first goal.
Rem Murray gave Nashville a two-goal edge at 4:30 when he went up high with a backhand shot from the slot.
At the 7:31 mark, Greg Johnson put the puck over Brathwaite as he laid sprawled on the ice.
Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun missed a shutout when Kent McDonell scored at 12:33. Vokoun won his second straight, turning back 26 shots.
Columbus cut the lead to one at 14:20 of the third period when David Vborny scored on a 4-on-3 advantage, one of four power plays in the period for the Blue Jackets.
"I thought we dominated the second half of the game," Columbus Coach Doug MacLean said. "We had great opportunities, but you can't play half a game. I really liked our team in the second half. We had chances to win the game."
The Predators had 13 shots in the first period but failed to score while holding Columbus to six shots.
"We certainly got off to a slow start, especially in the first period," Todd Marchant said. "They had the momentum almost the whole period."
Ended with a scramble
In the third period, the Blue Jackets outshot Nashville 10-5, and ended the game with a scramble in front of the goal at the end.
"We didn't like the finish we had," Vokoun said. "But we won it in the end, and that is the most important thing. We need to make sure that when we have somebody down that we finish them off.
"This win is important because it is against a team in our division. And it's great to get these wins in October. But it is more than that. It's a confidence builder for our team. We are a young team, and we are having to learn to win."
Notes
Andrew Hutchinson made his NHL debut for the Predators. ...This was the first game of the season for Brathwaite. ... Nashville's Jordin Tootoo has an assist in each of his last two games. ... Nashville's Robert Schnabel was taken to a hospital immediately after the game because he cut his right wrist when he landed on an opponent's skate blade.