PREDATORS 3, PANTHERS 1: Newly acquired Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and assist to lift visiting Nashville over Florida.

Pekka Rinne turned aside 39 shots to earn his league-leading 36th win and improve to 5-0-1 in his last six starts.

Mike Fisher and David Legwand also scored goals and Nashville pulled within four points of St. Louis for fourth place in the Western Conference..

Kostitsyn, playing in his second game since a trade with Montreal, opened the scoring 11 1/2 minutes into the game - his 100th career tally.

Fisher doubled the lead on a deflection at 28 seconds of the period, but Wojtek Wolski answered for Florida seven minutes later. It was his second goal in five games since he was acquired from the New York Rangers.

Legwand restored the two-goal lead on a breakaway, beating Scott Clemmensen at the seven-minute mark of the third period.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rinne, appearing in a league-high 58th game, has not allowed more than two goals in his last eight starts. ... It marked the first time in nine home games against Nashville that the Panthers failed to earn a point. They were 5-0-2 with a tie in the last eight meetings in South Florida. The Panthers allowed the opposition to score first for the 36th game and the 10th time in the last 14 contests.