NHL: Nashville 2, Phoenix 0

GLENDALE, Ariz., March 15 (UPI) -- Pekka Rinne, back from a two-game absence due to illness, stopped 18 shots and posted his seventh shutout of the season Saturday and Nashville beat Phoenix 2-0.

J.P. Dumont and David Legwand scored for the Predators, who had come into the contest with a three-game losing streak.

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 31 shots for the Coyotes, who have lost five straight games and eight of their last nine.

Dumont opened the scoring with what turned out to be the game-winning goal off a feed from Steve Sullivan in the middle of the slot at 14:01 of the second period. Legwand scored on an empty-net with 30.3 seconds remaining in the game.