Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Adam Burish notched the game-winning goal early in the contest, as Chicago rode a three-goal first period to top Nashville, 3-1, at the United Center.

Patrick Kane registered a goal and one assist and Jonathan Toews also tallied for the Blackhawks, who have won four in a row and five of six.

With the victory, Chicago earned its 40th win of the season, the first time it has reached the plateau since winning 41 games in 2001-02.

Patrick Lalime made 29 saves to post his 16th win of the season.

Rich Peverley provided the only offense for the Predators, whose two-game win streak was halted. Nashville completed its regular-season at 41-32-9 for 91 points, and will enter the postseason as the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Chris Mason was pulled just beyond the midway point in regulation after allowing three goals on 12 shots. Pekka Rinne took over and finished the game by stopping all eight shots he faced.

"Tonight was a tough game to play," Mason noted. "It didn't mean anything to either team, but I think we put on a good show. The Blackhawks have a lot of energy and come out hard in the first period. We tried to stay with them, but we really didn't."

Peverley gave the Preds the early advantage, pumping home his fifth of the season 2:18 into the contest.

The Hawks turned that deficit around with a pair of goals a little more than two minutes apart by Toews and Burish.

Toews' tally came about two minutes after the Preds took the lead. A mere two minutes later, the Hawks' special teams came through with the game-winner. With Andrei Zyuzin sent off for an interference call, Burish recorded an unassisted short-handed goal to give the home team the one-goal cushion.

Kane reached the 20-goal plateau for a 3-1 Chicago lead at 11:09 when Patrick Sharp's cross-crease pass hit him in the body and caromed in. The home team nursed that two-goal edge through the remainder of the first and all of the second period.

Lalime made 13 saves in the middle frame, then completed the game with nine saves in the final 20 minutes.

"We've been playing very good hockey of late, and it's a shame a point here and there, we'd still be playing next week," Lalime lamented. "The big story here are the fans coming back. It's great to play in front of a full house."