BC-HKN–Red Wings-Predators,0492

Red Wings 2, Predators 0

By TERESA M. WALKER

AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Detroit Red Wings still know how to take care of business.

Ray Whitney and Steve Yzerman scored goals 30 seconds apart in the opening two minutes, and the Red Wings beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 Saturday in Game 6 to clinch their first-round series 4-2.

Robert Lang had two assists, and Curtis Joseph stopped 15 shots to earn his 16th career postseason shutout and first with Detroit.

The Red Wings improved to 8-0 in potential clinching games, dating to the 1998 Stanley Cup finals. They finished off the Western Conference first-round series in style by leading for 115:15 of the final 120 minutes to end Nashville’s first foray into the playoffs.

Now the regular season’s best team will continue its push for a fourth Stanley Cup title in eight seasons.

The largest crowd ever at 17,329 squeezed into the Predators home arena, and fans were armed with inflatable plastic sticks handed out as they arrived. They tried to help the Predators fend off elimination but couldn’t drown out Detroit’s fast start.

The Red Wings ignored the noise and scored on two of their first three shots to take control and quiet the fans. It was the only game of the series won by the visiting team.

Whitney scored his first goal of the series after his first shot from the slot bounced off Predators forward Andreas Johansson and back to him for the second shot, which found the net at 1:26 of the first period.

Lang, who also assisted on the first goal, took advantage when Predators defenseman Mark Eaton lost his stick near the boards. Lang passed the puck out to Yzerman in the slot for a goal at 1:56.

Detroit nearly scored again on the next shot by Kris Draper, but the puck went over Tomas Vokoun’s back and fell onto the goal line before Brad Bombardir cleared it away.

Nashville had its chances to make it a game but went 0-for-5 on the power play. The Predators scored only one power-play goal in the series and were hurt by the loss of defenseman Marek Zidlicky, who was sidelined for all but two minutes with an upper body injury.

Notes: The shutout was Detroit’s first in the postseason since Dominik Hasek stopped Carolina 3-0 on June 10, 2002. … Yzerman’s goal was his 68th of the postseason, breaking a tie with Gordie Howe for most goals in Red Wings history. … Vokoun gave up five goals on 26 shots in the first period of the last two games. … Lang had at least a point in each of the Red Wings’ victories in the series and was scoreless in their two losses. … Detroit is 10-0 in Game 6 when it can clinch a series, dating to 1966 when the Red Wings beat Chicago. Seven of those wins have come on the road. … Scott Walker, who led Nashville in scoring in the regular season, was held to one point in the playoffs.

AP-ES-04-17-04 1758EDT