"Craig Smith became the second rookie in Nashville Predators history to record 20 assists in a season, but the Nashville Predators lost 4-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday at Philadelphia.

Smith had the primary assist on Ryan Suter's goal with 11:23 to play as Nashville attempted to overcome a third-period deficit for the second time in three days. Suter's sixth goal of the season got the Predators within one, 2-1, but they got no closer.

"It was a great play by [Smith]," Suter said. "He passed it over and it was good. ... We finished up pretty solid there. We've got to carry it over to the next game and build off that."

Philadelphia scored twice in the final five minutes — the first a power-play goal by Wayne Simmonds and the second an empty-net goal Claude Giroux — and sent Nashville to its first defeat since Jan. 17.

Simmonds (two goals) and Giroux (goal, assist) each finished with two points, and Simmonds had a game-high 10 shots against goalie Anders Lindback, who lost his fifth straight. He has been in the nets for each of the team's last two defeats."