NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Scott Hartnell scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, and Tomas Vokoun stopped 37 shots to help the Nashville Predators improve to 7-0-0 with a 2-1 victory over the Jose Sharks.

After a scoreless first period, both teams capitalized on two-man power plays in the second.

San Jose took a 1-0 lead when Tom Preissing took a shot from the right circle that bounced off Vokouns pads and Jonathan Cheechoo skated in from the left side and tapped the rebound in at the 3:17 mark.

Nashville tied the score just over 4 minutes later. Dan Hamhuis, standing a few feet inside the blue line on the right side passed the puck to Yanic Perrault low inside the right circle and Perreault fired a shot that went between the legs of San Jose goalie Vesa Toskala at 7:35.

Hartnell then scored the winning goal 11:35 into the third period. David Legwand fired a slap shot from a few feet inside the blue line that bounced off the right leg pad of Toskala. Hartnell, skating in from the left side, put the rebound in the net on Toskala’s stick side.

Ottawa (6-0-0) is the league’s only other unbeaten team.

Toskala finished with 28 saves.

Notes: Nashville rookie defenseman Ryan Suter had an All-Star fan club watching – his father Bob, a member of the 1980 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic team, and his uncle Gary, a former NHL star. Starting goalie Evgeni Nabokov sat out his first game for the Sharks.

AP-ES-10-22-05 2240EDT

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