NHL ROUNDUP \ Wednesday's games

Predators 3, Flyers 2
PHILADELPHIA -- Martin Erat scored with 5:09 left to help the Nashville Predators win their third straight game. Steve Sullivan and Alexander Radulov also scored, and Chris Mason stopped 24 shots for the Central Division-leading Predators. Mason has been strong in goal since replacing the injured Tomas Vokoun (thumb), improving to 5-1-1 this season. About 90 seconds after the last-place Flyers showed some surprising spirit to tie it at 2 on R.J. Umberger's seventh goal of the season, the Predators scored on a turnover that showed why each team is at their current spot in the standings. Flyers defenseman Mike Rathje whiffed over the top of the puck and had it swiped away in the circle by Paul Kariya, who quickly fed to Erat for his sixth goal of the season. Antero Niittymaki had 26 saves and Mike Knuble scored his eighth goal for the Flyers.
Sharks 2, Wild 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Rookie Joe Pavelski and Steve Bernier scored goals and Evgeni Nabokov made 15 saves for San Jose in its fourth straight victory. Pavelski, a star on Wisconsin's NCAA championship team last season, has scored in consecutive games and has three goals in four NHL games. Mattias Weinhandl scored for Minnesota.
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