Calle Jarnkrok scored with 1:51 remaining, Pekka Rinne made 38 saves and the streaking Nashville Predators beat the Blackhawks 3-1 on Thursday night.Viktor Arvidsson also scored in the first as Nashville won for the fourth time in its last five games and extended its point streak to eight in a row. Miikka Salomaki added an empty-net goal, and Mike Fisher finished with two assists.It was a lousy ending to a big night for Hawks, who bolstered their shot for a second straight Stanley Cup title by reacquiring forward Andrew Ladd in a trade with Winnipeg announced right before the game.Brent Seabrook scored for the Blackhawks, who have lost two in a row and five of seven. Corey Crawford had 29 saves.The game was tied at 1 before Jarnkrok one-timed a slick pass from Fisher over Crawford’s right shoulder for his 12th goal. It was Jarnkrok’s first point since he scored two goals in a 5-0 win at Florida at Feb. 13, stopping a five-game drought for the third-year center.Salomaki tacked on his fourth goal 48 seconds later, prompting some of the fans to begin heading for the exits.The Predators played without All-Star defenseman Shea Weber for the second straight game. Weber, who has 15 goals and 21 assists, is day to day with a lower-body injury.But Nashville still managed its second win in five games this season against Hawks. The Predators were eliminated by the Blackhawks in the playoffs last year.Ladd could be in uniform as soon as Sunday against Washington. The Blackhawks sent prospect Marko Dano and two draft picks to Winnipeg for Ladd, forward Matt Fraser and defenseman Jay Harrison.Ladd previously played for the Hawks for two-plus seasons, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2010. He had 17 goals and 17 assists in 59 games with the Jets this season.
”He brings so much to the table,” general manager Stan Bowman said. ”Just his competitiveness. He’s a very versatile player. He’s played a big role in Winnipeg the last few years there. On their team, he does it all.”
Rinne made 13 saves in the first period, including three great stops on Jonathan Toews alone. He also denied Andrew Shaw on a breakaway in the final minute of the second.The game was scoreless before Seabrook skated into an opening in the high slot and drove a slap shot past Rinne on the stick side for his 12th of season at 5:27 of the second. The big defenseman has five goals and two assists in his last nine games.The Predators responded with Arvidsson’s seventh goal at 9:08. Fisher sent the puck off the back boards and Arvidsson was there to stuff it home from the right side.
NOTE—The Blackhawks observed a pregame moment of silence for Eddie Einhorn, a minority owner of the White Sox who died late Tuesday following complications from a stroke. … Fraser and Harrison will report to Rockford in the AHL