Weber, Predators cap perfect trip with 2-1 win over Flames

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) A perfect four-game road trip has Nashville back in a playoff spot as they enter the All-Star break.

Shea Weber's power-play goal in the second period stood up as the winner, helping the Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.

The Predators, who opened the night one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference, finished a four-game trip 4-0-0, having also beaten Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

''It's not easy to come out here and beat these teams in their own buildings,'' Weber said. ''We're battling our way back into the playoff picture here. The last four games have really helped.''

Mike Ribeiro also scored for Nashville, and Mattias Ekholm had an assist to extend his points streak to a career-high five games.

The Predators moved from sixth to fourth in the Central Division and into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with their four wins.

Mark Giordano scored the lone goal for Calgary, which has lost three in a row.

''I told the boys, `Let's take advantage of this break. Let's reload. Let's refuel, and get back on track,''' Flames coach Bob Hartley said. ''We're in a situation that we have to shock the hockey world.''

In the second period, Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman sent linesman Don Henderson to the ice when he checked him from behind. Wideman was skating toward the Flames' bench when he cross-checked Henderson.

''I took a pretty hard hit down in the corner and had some pretty good pain in my shoulder and my neck and I was just trying to get off the ice,'' Wideman said. ''And I was kind of keeled over and at the last second, I looked up and I saw him and I couldn't avoid it.''

At the next stoppage in play, Wideman skated over to where the officials were gathered and apologized.

''Throughout my career - and I've been around for a few years - I think I've treated every official with the utmost respect,'' Wideman said, ''and I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or a ref or anything like that.''

The Flames were back at home after a 1-3-1 road trip that saw them fall eight points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Calgary mounted a furious rally late in the third period, but could not get the tying goal past Carter Hutton.

''Credit to their goalie, he made some huge saves,'' Giordano said. ''But we've got to get out of this rut. We've got to come out of the gates and get the lead. That's what our mindset has to be.''

With Pekka Rinne getting the night off after facing the Canucks on Tuesday, Hutton made 26 saves, including 15 in the final 20 minutes, to improve to 5-2-1.

''It wasn't the prettiest finish, but it was back to back, and the end of a road trip,'' Hutton said. ''It was a huge two points any way we look at it.''

Karri Ramo had 22 stops to fall to 16-17-1.

Calgary closed the gap to 2-1 on Giordano's goal 5:48 into the third period.

After his first shot hit Weber, Giordano corralled the loose puck, circled back to the blue line and ripped a slap shot from 40 feet out. It ended Hutton's shutout streak at 106:02. He had 29 saves in a 4-0 win over Minnesota in his last start on Jan. 16.

Nashville extended its lead to 2-0 on Weber's one-timer at 17:37 of the second. The power-play goal against the Flames' 29th-ranked penalty kill came after Calgary's 30th-ranked power play had squandered three straight man advantages in the first period.

Nashville opened the scoring 6:21 into the game when Craig Smith burst into the Flames' end and dropped a pass into the slot to Ribeiro, whose shot squeaked through Ramo.

NOTES: Eric Nystrom (foot) did not play for Nashville. ... Out of the lineup for the Flames were Joe Colborne and Josh Jooris, who both suffered minor undisclosed injuries Monday in Dallas. ... Weber's nine power-play goals rank him second among defensemen.