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Photos: Predators 4, Oilers 3
Video: Game Highlights   
Video: Wilson Post-Game Interview 
Video: Coach Trotz Post-Game
Tickets: March 4 vs. Kings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Jason Arnott scored the tiebreaking goal 5:02 into the third period, lifting the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Colin Wilson, Denis Grebeshkov and Shea Weber also scored for Nashville. Grebeshkov also had an assist while making his Predators debut against his former team, one day after being acquired from the Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick in this June's NHL draft.

Mike Comrie, Gilbert Brule, and Marc Pouliot scored for Edmonton.

Neither team led by more than a goal, and Pouliot tied the score 3-3 at 2:54 of the third before Arnott put the Predators ahead for good.

Brule tied the game at 2 at 11:53 of the second when he deflected Theo Peckham's wrist shot from the left point past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne on the stick side.

Nashville regained the lead at 15:12 on Weber's power-play goal off of an assist from Ryan Suter.

Two days earlier, the Predators' top defensive pairing had squared off in the Olympic gold medal game in Vancouver. Suter, who won silver with the United States, sent a pass from the top of the right circle to Weber in the center of the blue line where the gold medal-winning Canadian's one-timer beat Jeff Deslauriers on the glove side.

Comrie scored the game's first goal at 6:37 of the opening period. Tom Gilbert carried the puck into the Nashville zone with Comrie and Shawn Horcoff on a 3-on-1 against Suter. From the right side, Gilbert sent a pass to Horcoff, whose shot was stopped by Rinne. However, Comrie was parked just to the left of Rinne and had an easy tap-in for his seventh goal of the season.

Wilson drew the Predators even at 12:14 of the first on a wrist shot from the high slot that Deslauriers never saw thanks to a screen by Jordin Tootoo. Grebeshkov created an Edmonton turnover inside the blue line and was credited with an assist on Wilson's goal.

Grebeshkov scored his goal at 14:55 of the first when his slap shot from between the circles beat Deslauriers on the glove side.

NOTES: The Predators played their first home game since their building's name was changed to Bridgestone Arena late last month. ... Nashville has scored at least one power-play goal in a season-high seven consecutive games. ... The Predators are 19-1-0 when leading after the first period this season. ... Peckham's assist was his first career NHL point.

PREDS POST-GAME COMMENTS:
Preds Head Coach Barry Trotz
On the game winner...
“It was a good game in the sense that we got some rust off. There was a bit of sloppiness and you could tell we hadn’t played in a while – on both sides. If you look at other games, it will probably be the same. They were minus two off the hop and I think Arny (Jason Arnott) got his legs moving a bit and got a big goal for us and it ended up being the game winner.”

On his team’s rustiness...
“You could tell they were playing at a higher pace. They played with so much poise and I was really happy for our Olympians. They were really good. We got good contributions from all our lines. They were pretty good for the most part. There was some rust on some of the guys, but that will come off.”

On Grebeshkov...
“He was really good. He was instrumental in the first two goals. He kept the puck in on the Wilson goal. On the second goal, he got it through. On the first goal, Tootoo was in front. In the second, it was Legwand and Smithson. The third goal was Weber’s rocket from the point with Hornqvist in front. That presence on the goals…we turned away a lot of pucks. We had the chance to shoot it and make an extra pass. We missed the net quite a bit tonight and I hope that comes back.”

On Colin Wilson...
“I really liked his game today. He was really strong on the walls, made plays, kept possession of the puck, tried to shoot it and he obviously got the goal. I liked his game and I liked that line – for the most part. That line turned the puck over in the third period a bit and that’s uncharacteristic.”

On third goal...
“You don’t see that often. On both ends, there were some rusty goals for both goaltenders.”

On the Olympians...
“The good players come in and carry your team. Probably for them, the hard part is that they’ve been playing at a high pace and high level for two weeks. The timing may be off. That pass that would have been on the stick may be ahead or behind. Our guys that have just been practicing are moving a bit slower, but we’ll all get the rust off.”


Defenseman Shea Weber
On having to mentally recharge after playing in the Olympics…
It’s good to be back. I missed these guys having been away from them for two weeks. These guys are like my family so it’s really good to be back and to play these last 20 games.

On being physically tired after playing in the Olympics…
It’s not bad. I really thought it would be a lot worse. I’m a little surprised, but I’ve felt ok.

On the importance of getting the two points in the first game back after the break…
Well, it’s the same thing we’ve been talking about all year with how close the Western Conference is. Now it really is crunch time because we have 20 games left. Detroit is right behind us as well as Calgary.


Defenseman Ryan Suter
On having the Olympic experience…
It was a great time and one of the greatest times of my life; the greatest two weeks of my life. Vancouver was a neat city. It was close to home and it was something that I’ve never experienced before.

On being so close to winning the gold medal…
We had a great team, a great group of guys and we wanted it. We came up a little short, but we gave it our all and maybe we’d like to have that last one back, but it is what it is and hopefully we’ll get another chance at it.


Goaltender Pekka Rinne
On Edmonton’s no goal...
I was knew that it wasn’t a goal, but I was just hoping that the referee saw it the same way I did and that I wasn’t the only one who knew that it didn’t go in.

On Edmonton’s Pouliot scoring their third goal of the game…
Well, it was a pretty good shot. I was probably still a little rusty and it should’ve been a blocker save. I don’t want to take away too much from him; he had a pretty good shot. He didn’t really even have control of the puck – he just kept skating and let it go and unfortunately it went in.


Captain Jason Arnott
On getting a goal in tonight’s game…
It was still frustrating, hitting the posts. It’s been tough and it hasn’t been going in the way that we’ve wanted it to, but we’ll take the two points. I think we came out strong. It was a little rusty and we knew that they were going to be loose out there because they don’t have much to play for other than their pride.