Nashville 4-1 winner in Columbus

After an 8-3-2 start, the Blue Jackets have hit their first slump of the season.

COLUMBUS (AP) — J.P. Dumont had two goals and an assist, and the Nashville Predators sent the Columbus Blue Jackets to their fourth straight loss with a 4-1 win Monday night.

Nashville beat Columbus for the 10th consecutive time, and second in three days.

Martin Erat tallied twice — including an empty netter — and had two assists to record a career-high four points for Nashville, which has won seven of nine following a six-game losing streak. The Predators have earned a point in six straight games and eight of nine. Jason Arnott added two assists.

David Vyborny scored the lone goal for Columbus. After an 8-3-2 start, the Blue Jackets have hit their first slump of the season — all losses against divisional opponents — and have only one win in six.

With the Predators leading 2-1 in the third period, Blue Jackets defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen tripped near his blue line without being touched. Arnott fed Erat for a shot, and Dumont jammed home the easy rebound at 11:43.

Chris Mason had 29 saves for Nashville. Pascal Leclaire stopped 27 shots for Columbus.

Early in the first period, after Nashville worked the puck along the boards behind the Columbus net, Arnott zipped a centering pass from the right corner. Dumont got behind defenseman Adam Foote and tapped in his fifth goal at 6:39.

Columbus tied it just 15 seconds later. Sergei Fedorov pressured the puck loose from defenseman Dan Hamhuis deep in the Predators’ zone. Vyborny scooped up the puck along the right boards, cut to the slot and beat Mason with a low shot through traffic. Vyborny, who led the team in scoring last season, netted his first goal in 32 games.

Erat made it 2-1 at 12:33 with a superb effort. Jetting across the ice toward the right wing, he settled a bouncing puck at the blue line, held off Rostislav Klesla with his left arm while shielding the puck and stick-handled around Leclaire, who lunged with a poke check. He scored his third of the season into the vacated net.

Notes

Columbus placed LW Fredrik Modin (back spasms) on the injured list, retroactive to Nov. 2. He has missed 10 of 17 games this season. ... Nashville’s David Legwand — who leads the team in scoring — had his career-best, five-game point streak snapped. ... Blue Jackets C Michael Peca was scratched for the second consecutive game due to a sore groin. ... The Predators have won five straight in Columbus.