NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ales Hemsky scored a power-play goal and added three assists, and goaltender Jussi Markkanen made 23 saves for the Edmonton Oilers, who beat Nashville 5-1 and sent the Predators to their first regulation loss of the season.

Nashville started the season 8-0 before falling in overtime at Columbus on Wednesday night. The Predators now have a two-game losing streak after falling for the first time at home in six games (5-1).

The Predators took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Martin Erat snapped off a wrist shot from the middle of the right circle to beat Markkanen to his glove side at 3:15 on the power play.

Edmonton tied it eight minutes in. Hemsky fired a shot from short range on a breakaway that sent goalie Tomas Vokoun sprawling to the ice to stop. The puck bounced off Vokoun, and the rebound was put in by Ryan Smyth.

In the second period, the Oilers took a 2-1 lead on a breakaway by Marc-Andre Bergeron. The puck went behind Vokoun, who was laying on the ice, before finding its way into the net.

Hemsky scored his first goal of the season at 12:43 to give Edmonton a 3-1 advantage. He fired a wrist shot from the center of the left circle that went high to Vokoun’s stick side.

The Oilers scored their fourth goal on the power play at 11:42. Raffi Torres passed the puck to his left from low in the slot to Jarrett Stoll, who put the puck by Vokoun.

Steve Staios made it 5-1 with his first goal of the season, scored during a power play in the final minute of the game.

Notes: The Predators are 3-1 when trailing after two periods. … Smyth has scored in back-to-back games.

AP-ES-10-29-05 2257EDT

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