BC-HKN–Predators-Red Wings,0481

Red Wings 2, Predators 1

By LARRY LAGE

AP Sports Writer

DETROIT (AP) – Mathieu Schneider’s slap shot went off the boards, off goalie Tomas Vokoun’s skate and trickled into the net late in the third period Saturday to give the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators.

The Red Wings are ahead 2-0 in the first-round series because they have outscored the Predators 4-0 in the third period. The teams will make a quick turnaround and play Game 3 of the best-of-seven series Sunday in Nashville.

The winning goal in Game 2 came on the power play after the Red Wings were 0-for-9 in the series with an extra man. Schneider’s shot from above the right circle went behind Vokoun, then caromed toward the net where the sprawled-out goaltender had the misfortune of having the puck go off his skate.

Vokoun laid flat on his back as the crowd cheered.

Manny Legace made 27 saves, and Robert Lang scored for Detroit, which had the NHL’s best record during the regular season.

Nashville’s Vladimir Orszagh tied the game at 1 midway through the second period and Vokoun kept the Predators in it with 26 saves. The Predators were 0-for-6 on the power play Saturday and are 0-for-9 for the series.

Legace was sharp one day after he was hit on his mask by a puck during practice. The career backup has become Detroit’s No. 1 goalie because Curtis Joseph is hobbled with an ankle injury, and Dominik Hasek had a season-ending groin injury.

Lang’s second goal of the series – which he poked past Vokoun – put the Red Wings ahead 1-0 at 5:45 of the second period.

Shortly after Vokoun stopped Ray Whitney on a short-handed breakaway, Nashville tied it midway through the second. After Orszagh fooled Legace with a move between the circles off a centering pass from Martin Erat, he went crashing into the post face first.

The Predators were without standout defenseman Marek Zidlicky, who left Wednesday’s game with what the team is calling “an upper body injury.”

Detroit has the most playoff experience among teams in the postseason, and the Predators have the least.

Nashville began the playoffs with a combined 247 games of postseason experience, while the Red Wings have 11 players who have played at least 100 games, led by Chris Chelios with 216.

Detroit is making its 53rd postseason appearance and 14th consecutive while Nashville is in the playoffs for the first time in its six-season history.

Notes: The Red Wings acquired Lang, who spent much of the season as the NHL’s scoring leader, from Washington on Feb. 27. … Orszagh, playing his second playoff game, scored his first postseason goal. … Zidlicky was third on the team during the regular season with 53 points. … Both goalies made their second career playoff starts.

AP-ES-04-10-04 1805EDT