OT Penalty Shot Lifts Predators

Making hockey history was nice but getting home for Christmas was more important to David Legwand.

Legwand scored the NHL's first goal on an overtime penalty shot to give Nashville a 3-2 victory Saturday over the New York Rangers. Nashville, in its third season, had lost its three previous meetings with the Rangers.

Overtime was reinstated into the regular season in 1983 - after 41 years without it - and, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, no one had converted a penalty shot in the extra session.

"I didn't know," the 20-year-old Legwand said of the historical significance. "It's a piece of history. I guess it will be a while before it happens again."

Legwand did not keep the puck and rushed to catch a flight at Newark Airport.

"The goal was great, but I'm going home for Christmas now for the first time in five years and that's much better," the Detroit native said. "Scoring it in Madison Square Garden was great. It was fun for that reason."

"He kind of blooped it," said McLean, who has allowed four goals on six career penalty shots. "He fanned on the shot, he faked a shot and I went down. He brought it to his forehand and scored."

Earlier this season, Patrik Elias of New Jersey failed to convert an overtime penalty shot against John Vanbiesbrouck of the New York Islanders in a 0-0 tie.

"You can't think about it," Legwand said. "You just have to try to put the puck on the net. It's great to end it on one shot."

Scott Walker scored a short-handed goal for Nashville with 1:43 left in regulation to tie it at 2.

"We haven't been able to score 5-on-5, so 5-on-4 is really tough," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "To come back with a short-handed goal to tie a game, late in the game, it doesn't get any better than that."

The Rangers got goals from Brian Leetch and Sandy McCarthy.

Leetch scored in the final minute of the second period and then hit the post on the power play that turned badly for the Rangers when Walker scored.

"A power play with a 2-1 lead to increase the lead to 3-1 or run the clock out is a tough way to lose a point," Rangers captain Mark Messier said.

Kimmo Timonen scored the other goal for Nashville, tying it 1-1 in the second.

McLean made 38 saves in place of Mike Richter, who started 13 of the previous 14 games and 21 of 23. Richter was placed on injured reserve Friday to rest.

"I think he played a solid hockey game," coach Ron Low said. "He gave us a chance to win, that's all we were really looking for."

New York, which has allowed an NHL-high 132 goals, has given up 32 over the last seven games.

Just 31 seconds after the Rangers killed a four-minute penalty against Messier for tripping, Leetch scored his 10th goal this season.

Theo Fleury took a shot that was stopped by Nashville goalie Mike Dunham, but the rebound came to Leetch at the left side of the net. Leetch waited for Dunham to drop to the ice, and when he did the defenseman lifted a shot into the upper right corner of the net with 32.9 seconds left in the second period.

Fleury's assist gave him an 11-game point streak, the longest run in the NHL this season. Fleury leads the league with 51 points.

Despite outshooting New York 17-9, Nashville trailed after the first period for the 10th straight game. Dunham made 26 saves.

The Rangers grabbed the lead at 11:44 of the first period when Adam Graves' shot from the right cicle was kicked out to McCarthy, who scored from the slot.

Timonen tied it as Nashville was on a delayed-penalty call, flipping a shot over McLean at 7:03.

The Rangers, who entered with the NHL's top power-play unit, went 0-for-4 Saturday and have failed on 13 straight chances with the man advantage.

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