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J. P. Dumont and Rich Peverley scored 23 seconds apart in the third period to lift the Nashville Predators to a 6-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday night.

Dumont snapped a 3-all tie when he sent a slap shot past Mikael Tellqvist at 5:36 of the final period. Dumont also had two assists for his second three-point game of the season.

Peverley scored his second of the year when he converted a pass from Radek Bonk at 5:59. Martin Gelinas added an empty-net goal at 19:20 of the third period

Nashville’s win spoiled an energetic Phoenix comeback after the Coyotes fell behind 3-0 midway through the opening period.

As has been the trend in recent games, things did not start well for Phoenix. The Coyotes allowed three goals on the Predators first eight shots.

Bonk put Nashville on the board at 4:34 of the opening period when he put the rebound of his initial shot that hit the left post into an open net. It was Bonk’s first goal since Dec. 19 at Chicago.

The Predators increased their lead to 2-0 when David Legwand converted a pass from Dumont for his 13th goal of the season at 11:27. Nashville captain Jason Arnott knocked in his own rebound exactly two minutes later for a 3-0 lead.

At that point, and with 6:33 remaining in the first period, Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky pulled Ilya Bryzgalov in favor of back up Tellqvist. Bryzgalov stopped five of the eight shots he faced.

Phoenix edged back when captain Shane Doan scored a power-play goal at 18:27 of the first period.

Daniel Winnik brought Phoenix within one when he scored at 7:40 of the second. Winnik made a move just outside the crease and managed to slide the puck between goalie Dan Ellis and the right post for his seventh of the season.

Phoenix tied it at 15:21 of the second when Ellis could not handle Ed Jovanovski’s wrist shot from the blue line.

- Associated Press