Predators 3, Blue Jackets 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -J.P. Dumont was confident he would be credited with the go-ahead goal once play was stopped and his shot reviewed.

Dumont broke a tie with a shot from the left circle with 38 seconds left, and Chris Mason made 30 saves in the Nashville Predators' 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

"I had plenty of time," Dumont said. "I picked my spot. I looked at where it was going and I knew it was in right away."

Play carried on until a whistle stopped the action with a few seconds remaining, leaving Nashville waiting for the verdict. After a quick video review, Dumont was credited with his 10th goal of the season. His shot hit a post inside the upper net and quickly returned to the playing surface.

Nikolai Zherdev (13)  steals the puck away from Jed Ortmeyer (41) during the first period (AP Photo)

David Legwand had a power-play goal, and Jed Ortmeyer added an empty-netter for the Predators in their second straight victory after a five-game losing streak. Nashville has won 11 straight, three this season, against Columbus dating to April 3, 2006.

"They are all close games," Mason said. "We always have battles and wars with these guys. It's just one of those things. It's just good fortunate that could turn at any time."

Dan Fritsche scored for Columbus, 0-for-4 on the power play. The Blue Jackets are 5-for-56 with the man advantage in their last 13 games.

"We're not generating enough (offense) to give ourselves a chance to win," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Legwand opened the scoring at 14:07 of the second period, one-timing a long rebound past goalie Fredrik Norrena's outstretched glove.

Fritsche tied it at 11:46 of the third. Jiri Novotny negated an icing call, then Fritsche curled around from the backboard to beat Mason.

"It's just disappointing because we had a chance to at least get a point," Fritsche said. "Just a tough one to swallow."

The Blue Jackets entered with the third-fewest goals scored in the NHL and only three goals in their last three games. Nashville failed to score more than two goals in seven of its previous nine games - all loses.

"We got real good efforts from our top guys," Predators coach Barry Trotz said.

Notes: The Predators improved to 2-2 in the second of back-to-back games. ... Hitchcock is 0-6-2 against Nashville since joining the Blue Jackets. The Predators are the only Western Conference team he hasn't beaten. ... Predators RW Martin Erat, the team's second leading scorer with 26 points, missed his second consecutive game because of a virus.