NASHVILLE, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The Nashville Predators moved within one game of .500 Tuesday night as Tomas Vokoun made 19 saves and five different players scored in a 5-0 blanking of the free-falling Columbus Blue Jackets.
Nashville won for the sixth time in seven games and improved to 22-15-5 since winning just two of its first 20 games (2-10-4-4).
Although their slow start likely will prevent them from making the playoffs, the Predators climbed within six points of Edmonton for the final Western Conference postseason spot.
Defenseman Cale Hulse opened the scoring 4:01 into the contest with just his second goal of the season. Rookie Adam Hall and Vladimir Orszagh tallied in the second period and defenseman Kimmo Timonen and Clarke Wilm finished off the Blue Jackets late in the third.
The Blue Jackets completed an 0-5-0 road trip and have been outscored, 32-5, during a six-game losing streak. They have been shut out three times in the last four contests.
