ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Andrew Brunette and Lubomir Sereras cashed in on the power play less than five minutes apart midway through the first period Friday night as the Minnesota Wild edged the Nashville Predators, 2-1.
Manny Fernandez turned aside 19 shots for the Wild and snapped a three-game winless slide (0-2-1). But Minnesota's second win in six games was a team effort as Nashville managed just five shots over the final 20 minutes.
Fernandez was staked to an early lead as Brunette took advantage of a tripping penalty on Predators defenseman Karlis Skratins.
Sergei Zholtok rifled a slap shot on net from the right point and Brunette gathered in the loose puck. With goaltender Mike Dunham scrambling, Brunette put a backhander off Dunham's blocker for his 13th goal.
Cale Hulse, another Predators defenseman, took a hooking penalty with 8:35 left in the period and Sekeras capitalized with a blistering slap shot from the right point. Taking advantage of a screen in front by Darby Hendrickson, Sekeras picked up his fourth goal of the season and first since December 5.
Greg Johnson got Nashville on the board with two seconds to go in the second period, but the Wild's defense clamped down in the third, killing a pair of shorthanded situations.
Dunham made 23 saves for the the Predators, who lost for the first time in four visits to the Xcel Energy Center.
