Finland's Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots as the Nashville Predators gave their National Hockey League playoff hopes a boost with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in Chicago. Ryan Johansen, American Luke Kunin, and Erik Haula scored, and Ryan Ellis, of Canada, had two assists for the Predators, who solidified their hold on the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division. Just five points separate Nashville and Chicago in the standings with the Dallas Stars also making a run at the postseason. The Predators are four points ahead of Dallas. Nashville improved to 26-21-2 on the season and have two wins in their last five games after a 16 game stretch where they lost just three games. The Blackhawks only have themselves to blame if they miss the playoffs as they won just one game against Nashville in eight tries this season. Netminder Malcolm Subban stopped 25 of 28 shots but allowed three goals on his glove side Friday with the last two coming off shots that were almost perpendicular to the goal line. Kunin's shot squeezed between Subban's glove and the post to make it 2-0 in the second period and in the third Huala tried a long angle shot with his back almost to the side boards that snuck in between Subban's glove and the post. Canada's Johansen opened the scoring in the second by picking up a loose puck and beating Subban to the glove side. Chicago was coming off one of the biggest comebacks in franchise history with a 5-4 overtime win over the Predators on Wednesday. Nashville held a 4-1 lead halfway through the third period but the Blackhawks stormed back by scoring three goals in less than three minutes then winning it in overtime. Chicago's Vinnie Hinostroza denied Saros the shutout with the 'Hawks only goal at 16:41 of the third period. A video review was required to confirm that Hinostroza's re-directed puck barely crossed the goal line. gph/mtp