The Nashville Predators needed a win on Thursday to keep pace with the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets who defeated the Boston Bruins, 4-3.
Pekka Rinne made 25 saves for the Preds as they defeated the Kings, 3-1, in Los Angeles.
Colton Sissons,Viktor Arvidsson and Craig Smith scored for the Predators.
“It’s probably the best game that we’ve played in recent weeks,” Sissons said. “And it feels good to just put a complete effort in from start to finish and just have everybody step up and play their best game.”
Nashville improved to 40-27-5 and remain one point back of the Jets.
“We’ve had a ton of that lately and it’s just a grind,” Sissons said. “It’s hard to do no matter who you are playing in the NHL. When you’re down one or two goals it becomes really challenging, so it feels good to get out ahead of a game and stay in the lead and hopefully we can get some more of those the rest of the way.”
Austin Wagner was the lone goal scorer for the Kings.
“We didn’t work hard enough, obviously,” Wagner said.
LA dropped to 25-37-8.
[WATCH: All Predators vs. Kings highlights]
Jonathan Quick made 31 saves in the loss.
“I didn’t think we had a great start in the game, which we control. I don’t think we were hungry enough in the first,” LA head coach Willie Desjardins said after the loss.
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