NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The Predators may have protected their lead by telling the referees about Jaromir Jagr's illegal stick.

Cliff Ronning scored with 2:26 left in regulation to give the Nashville Predators a 3-3 tie with the Washington Capitals on Friday night.

Jagr and Adam Oates each had a goal and two assists for Washington, but Jagr spent the final 41 seconds of overtime in the penalty box.

"If you wanted to, you could check 50 percent of the players and their sticks would be illegal," Jagr said.

Nashville coach Barry Trotz said his assistant coaches and some players noticed Jagr was using an illegal stick early in the game, but that he switched to a legal stick at some point.

"We called it in warm-ups," Trotz said. "We knew it was there, but with about 10 minutes left to go in the game he changed to a legal stick.

"Then when it came to overtime, our whole bench saw him change again and go the stick he had originally."

The Capitals took a 1-0 lead just over two minutes into the game when Ulf Dahlen scored from in front of the crease, beating Nashville goaltender Mike Dunham to his right side.

The Predators took the lead with a pair of second-period goals. Reid Simpson scored from the top of the left circle on a slap shot at 9:31 and Andy Delmore made it 2-1 on a power play at 15:17.

Oates tied the game at 2 at 7:51 of the third and Jagr put Washington up 3-2 just 1:37 later.

"We played well in the first period and in the third period, but in the second period we stunk," Washington coach Ron Wilson said. "Had we had a half-decent second period we would have won the game."

The Predators have tied or won 19 of their last 22 games at home.

"We played a solid game," Trotz said. "It was a big point for us."

Washington goaltender Olaf Kolzig did not return for the third period because of a groin strain. He was replaced by Craig Billington.

Notes: Delmore's goal, his first in 15 games, was his 13th of the season, setting a new franchise record for goals scored by a defenseman. ... Oates leads the NHL in assists with 44 and leads the Capitals in points with 53. ... Nashville's David Legwand (back) has not played or skated since the All-Star break and will be sidelined until after the Olympic break. ... Steve Dubinsky made his debut for the Predators. ... Simpson's goal was his first as a Predator and his second of the season.

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