(Sports Network) - Martin Erat scored the deciding goal in the shootout as Nashville won its fourth straight contest with a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils at the Sommet Center.

Jason Arnott scored twice in regulation and Mike Santorelli tallied in the shootout for the Predators, who won for the eighth time in 10 contests. Pekka Rinne stopped 26 shots in the win.

Zach Parise had both regulation goals for the Devils, who have lost two in a row after winning eight straight. Martin Brodeur also saved 26 of 28 shots for New Jersey.

Parise was unsuccessful on a backhand attempt in the shootout and Santorelli scored on a wrister for a 1-0 Nashville lead. Rinne then stopped Jamie Langenbrunner, but in the final round of the shootout Travis Zajac scored on a very late backhander.

Erat then went up high to beat Brodeur for the game-winner.

Arnott gave the Predators the early lead as he scored just 4:44 into the contest on a quick shot from the right circle that surprised Brodeur.

Nearly four minutes later, Colin White shot the puck from the left point through traffic, and Parise deflected it past Rinne.

The Devils buzzed around the Nashville net for a majority of the second period, but Rinne made 12 saves. Brodeur stopped six shots to keep the game even moving to the third.

Arnott's second of the night, this one on the power play just 69 seconds into the third, gave Nashville the lead again. J.P. Dumont flipped the puck to the slot, where Arnott redirected it into the net.

Parise evened the game just 3 1/2 minutes later, by bulling his way through the slot for a successful redirection of a Dean McAmmond attempt.

New Jersey's Brian Rolston had the best chance to score in OT, but Rinne came up with a save on a shot from the left circle.

"It was a little awkward. They're not a fun team to play against," said Dumont. "They don't give much. They always sit back and wait. It was a big game at home for us tonight and a big two points."

Game Notes

Thursday's game was the second of a three-game road trip for the Devils. The swing will conclude Saturday evening at Dallas...New Jersey lost for just the second time in its last eight trips to Nashville...Rinne has an 8-1-0 mark in his last nine appearances...The Predators are 9-0-0 when they score a man- advantage goal this season...New Jersey went 0-for-2 on the power play...Nashville's penalty kill has now killed 26-of-29 disadvantages over the last nine games...Zajac assisted on Parise's first goal, giving him 100 assists for his career...Devils center Dainius Zubrus was struck by a Kevin Klein slap shot early in the second period and may have broken his right leg. He was expected to miss the Dallas game.



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