Walker scores 100th career goal as Predators triumph
NEW YORK (AP) — Scott Walker knows he has 100 NHL goals and more points than any other Nashville Predators player because people keep telling him.
Walker moved into first place on the Predators’ career scoring list with two assists Thursday night in a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Two nights earlier, Walker scored his milestone goal but wasn’t aware of it until he was presented with the puck by a teammate.
After Nashville beat the Rangers, Walker fielded questions about his latest achievement — the one that moved him ahead of Cliff Ronning with 227 points with the Predators.
But after 10 NHL seasons without reaching the playoffs, the two points in the tight Western Conference standings were much more important.
“I didn’t know those things because there’s so much pressure on us to do well right now,” Walker said. “The last thing I’m thinking about is how many points I got. I always said I’d give up so many points to be 10 points clear (in the standings).”
The Predators’ fortunes are not that good, but the latest victory was their team-record 35th. Nashville moved ahead of Edmonton into seventh place in the West with 84 points, one more than the Oilers and St. Louis.
“With the win, maybe it’ll give us that boost,” Walker said. “What a thrill at the end of the rainbow if we keep this going, get a few more wins here and get in.”
Andreas Johansson and Martin Erat scored third-period goals to turn a 2-2 tie into a victory.
It was just Nashville’s second win in 10 games (2-4-3-1). The Predators are two games into a five-game stretch of consecutive games against non-playoff contenders.
They rebounded from a tough home loss to Anaheim on Tuesday, and will next play Columbus at home on Saturday and then a home-and-home series with another Central Division-rival Chicago.
“They’re all playing for next year,” forward Jim McKenzie said. “They don’t want to see us get in. Nobody is happy for anybody to get in.”
Defensemen Marek Zidlicky and Mark Eaton also scored for Nashville. Steve Sullivan had three assists to give him two goals and 12 assists in his last 11 games, and eight goals and 19 assists in 19 games since being acquired from Chicago.
Tomas Vokoun made 26 saves for the victory that was sealed when Erat scored with 1:47 left.
“It’s fun stress, it’s fun pressure, but everyone’s on edge and playing their hardest,” Walker said. “Everyone is in the training room getting worked on and just trying to get to the playoffs.”
Jaromir Jagr reached 30 goals for 13th straight season and Karel Rachunek also scored for New York, which dropped its eighth straight (0-5-0-3). Counting overtime losses, New York has been beaten a team-record 46 times.
“I don’t really have much to say,” Rangers forward Bobby Holik said. “We have our own things to worry about. Whether it’s Nashville or anybody else, we don’t find a way to win.”
The Rangers have four games remaining before they close their seventh consecutive season without a playoff appearance. Captain Mark Messier sat out the second and final game of his NHL suspension for spearing.
Notes:@ The Predators won 34 games in 2000-01, their third season in the NHL. … Zidlicky was traded to the Predators on Dec. 12, 2002, in the deal that sent losing goalie Mike Dunham to New York. … Jagr scored 27 goals as a rookie for Pittsburgh in 1990-91, the only time he failed to reach 30.