>>Blackhawks Down Preds
Anton Forsberg made 42 saves, Vinnie Hinostroza had a goal and an assist, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Last-place Chicago, which needs a big finish to get into the playoffs, returned from the All-Star break with its second straight win. David Kampf also scored for the Blackhawks.
Kyle Turris had Nashville's only goal and Juuse Saros made 29 saves. The Predators lost in regulation for the first time since Jan. 2.
Kampf got the lead for the Blackhawks at 3:03 of the first.
On the right boards, Tomas Jurco knocked down an attempted clear by Saros and kicked the puck toward Hinostroza in the right circle. Hinostroza poked the puck off Nashville defenseman Roman Josi, and Kampf beat Saros with a wrist shot high to the glove side.
Turris tied it with his ninth goal 2:12 into the second.
Craig Smith forced a turnover by Forsberg behind the Chicago net. Smith passed to Scott Hartnell below the goal line, and he fed Turris all alone in the slot for his first goal since Dec. 29.
Hinostroza got the eventual game-winner at 14:33 of the second.
Nick Schmaltz carried the puck into the Nashville zone on the right side and sent a pass to Hinostroza at the top of the right faceoff circle. Aided by a screen from Predators defenseman Matt Irwin, Hinostroza fired a one-timer by Saros on the far side.
Forsberg denied Calle Jarnkrok from the low slot with 1:30 remaining to preserve the win for Chicago.
The Blackhawks are at Vancouver on Thursday.
>>Blues Stop Canadiens
Carter Hutton stopped 33 shots in his sixth straight start, helping the St. Louis Blues beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Tuesday night.
The 32-year-old Hutton appears to have supplanted Jake Allen as St. Louis' No. 1 goaltender. He is 8-1-1 in his last 10 starts and has stopped 94 of 96 shots over the last three games.
St. Louis has won five of six overall. The struggling Canadiens have lost 11 of 15.
Ivan Barbashev, Patrik Berglund and Alexander Steen scored for St. Louis, which has won its last five games against Montreal.
Charles Hudon broke up Hutton's shutout bid with a 6-on-4 goal with 1:07 remaining.
Barbashev snapped a scoreless tie with his second goal of the season early in the second period. He whipped a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle past goalie Carey Price, who fell to 14-18-4. Barbashev spent 21 games in the minors earlier this season.
Berglund pushed the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal early in the third. He jumped on the rebound of a shot by Tage Thompson.
Steen added an empty-netter with 2:17 left.
The Blues visit Boston on Thursday.
