DALLAS (AP) - Juuse Saros shut out Dallas for the second time in three days, Ryan Ellis gained a measure of revenge with the only goal and the Nashville Predators beat the Stars 1-0 on Saturday.
Saros made 37 saves after stopping 33 in a 2-0 victory in Nashville on Thursday night. He has four shutouts this season and 11 overall and is 6-0-1 against the Stars.
“The thing that has separated him a lot is his rebound control has been exceptional,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “He’s calm and in position and then he’s really firm.”
Saros credited his teammates.
“It’s a pretty similar game to Thursday,” he said. “We played really solid defense, blocked a lot of shots, and everyone was really committed to this game.”
Six of his saves came on shots by Tyler Seguin.
“The chances were there,” Seguin said, “but we’ve got to find a way to beat that goalie.”
Ellis scored on a power play midway through the second period. Matt Duchene’s shot from the left point went over the net and bounded to Ellis for a wrist shot between goalie Ben Bishop and the left goal post.
“It’s a big goal for where we’re at in the season,” Ellis said.
Nashville is in position for the second wild card from the Western Conference and moved within six points of third-place Dallas in the Central Division.
“Never saw it,” Bishop said. “You don’t really expect him to shoot from there, and it kind of surprised us a little bit.”
Ellis missed 20 games after the Stars’ Corey Perry elbowed him in the face the last time the Predators played in Dallas on Jan. 1. Perry received a five-game suspension.
Two of Ellis’s teammates took on Perry and received roughing penalties Saturday.
“We missed (Ellis) for a long time there,” Roman Josi said. “He’s such a big part, so we want to stick up for him.
Bishop, playing for the first time since Feb. 27 because of a lower-body injury, made 22 saves. Dallas has allowed seven goals in 16 penalty kills in the last four games. The Stars are 0-3-2 in their last five games. They have not scored in 134:26.
The Predators have scored four power-play goals in their last three games.
NOTES: Stars RW Alexander Radulov sat out because of illness. … Dallas’ power play is 3 for 21 in the last eight games. … There were five roughing penalties. … The Stars honored referee Gord Dwyer for reaching the milestone of 1,000 NHL games. He has been a full-time referee since 2006.
UP NEXT
Predators: At Montreal on Tuesday night.
Stars: Host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
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