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Predators 2, Coyotes 0

NASHVILLE -- No Alexander Radulov? No Andrei Kostitsyn?

No problem.

Without two of its top six forwards after a team-imposed one-game suspension, Nashville made two first-period goals stand up Wednesday night for a 2-0 win over Phoenix.

The victory cut the Predators' deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

David Legwand and Mike Fisher scored 66 seconds apart for the Predators, which got 32 saves from Pekka Rinne in a bounce-back effort for the Finnish goaltender. They will try to even the series at home Friday night.

After 4-3 and 5-3 defeats in Phoenix over the weekend, Nashville general manager David Poile and coach Barry Trotz announced Tuesday morning that Radulov and Kostitsyn, acquired in separate transactions late in the season to boost the offense, would sit out Game 3 for a violation of team rules.

Radulov hinted in an interview following practice Tuesday that the suspension was for missing curfew but didn't elaborate, while Kostitsyn didn't comment. Both can return for Game 4, although some might wonder if Trotz will fiddle with the 18 skaters which got the fourth-seeded Predators their first win against the No. 3 Coyotes.

Returning to its foundation of defense, physical play and timely scoring, Nashville broke through and justified the sky-high expectations of a fan base dreaming of its first Stanley Cup after a five-game elimination of long-time power Detroit in the first round.

The Predators took their first lead of the series at 8:10 of the first period, thanks to help from Phoenix goalie Mike Smith.

A willing puck-handler, Smith gave it away from behind his net to Gabriel Bourque, who passed to Legwand. Cruising into the slot, Legwand zipped a 30-footer past Smith as Bridgestone Arena erupted.

It was the third goal of the playoffs for Legwand, whose giveaway which led to a goal during the second period of a 5-3 loss Sunday at Phoenix symbolized an uncharacteristically bad defensive effort for the Predators.

Moments later, Fisher finished off a tic-tac-toe sequence from Sergei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat with a tap-in goal past Smith at 9:16.

During a TV timeout after the second goal, a catfish -- Nashville fans' answer to the octopus which regularly litter the playoff ice in Detroit -- flopped on the ice and nearly struck Smith.

The Coyotes mounted several promising counter-attacks after falling behind, but couldn't solve Rinne, who gave up a surprising nine goals in the series' first two games. He got help from the goal post, which denied Rostislav Klesla on a first period wrist shot.

Rinne was at his best late in the third period when Phoenix had 41 seconds of 5-on-3 time after Kostitsyn and Erat took minor penalties, making a spate of highlight-film saves as the Coyotes poured pucks at the net.

NOTES: Radulov was the Predators' leading point-scorer in the playoffs with six off a goal and five assists, while Andrei Kostitsyn is tied with Bourque for the goal-scoring lead with three. ... Jordin Tootoo and Colin Wilson replaced Radulov and Kostitsyn in the lineup. ... Phoenix has never won consecutive playoff series in franchise history, which includes its years in Winnipeg.