Predators beat Detroit, advance in NHL

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

David Legwand scored 13 seconds into the third period, and the Nashville Predators advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Predators won the series 4-1, capping a season in which they finished ahead of their Central Division rival for the first time, and beat the Red Wings for the first time in their third playoff series. Nashville made it even sweeter by handing the Red Wings their earliest postseason departure since a six-game first-round loss to Edmonton in 2006.

The Predators became the first team to advance this postseason, and they could face No. 3 seed Phoenix in the second round. The Coyotes lead the Chicago 3-1.

Legwand added an assist, and Alexander Radulov also had a goal and assist for Nashville. The team that scored first won each game, and that was Nashville again.

Jiri Hudler scored for Detroit, which heads into the summer having lost three straight waiting to see if captain Nicklas Lidstrom has played his last game after 20 seasons.

The Predators won the final three in needing only five goals by outshooting and outhitting the older Red Wings. They got the winning goal from Legwand, a native of the Detroit area, who scored on a wrister off an assist from Gabriel Bourque and Radulov.

This is just the Predators’ seventh playoff appearance, but they improved to 2-0 in elimination games by winning their second straight first-round series.