Predators at Sabres
The Nashville Predators are in dire need of a victory and even more desperate for a goal as they prepare to make the fourth stop on a disastrous five-game road trip with a visit to the skidding Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. The Predators have been shut out in a franchise-record three straight games and have gone 213 minutes, 47 seconds without scoring a goal.
"We've got to find a way to stay with it. We can't get frustrated," Nashville captain Shea Weber told the team's official website. "It's tough to say that when you haven't scored in three games." Ironically, the Predators had scored seven goals on two occasions during a 3-0-1 stretch preceding their maddening drought. The Sabres are battling through some offensive futility of their own as they attempt to halt a five-game winless drought (0-3-2). Since winning five of six games, Buffalo has managed to score only five goals during the five-game skid.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), MSG-B and Bell TV (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (11-6-3): Nashville is not lacking for chances during the drought - it has launched 93 shots on goal and went 0-for-10 on the power play during the shutout streak. "Goal-scoring is the single one area that's probably the hardest thing to accomplish in the National Hockey League," Predators general manager David Poile told the Tennessean. "We're suffering mightily the last three games." No one is suffering more than forward Filip Forsberg, who is mired in a 16-game goalless drought dating to Oct. 15.
ABOUT THE SABRES (8-11-2): Buffalo center Zemgus Girgensons, who has been sidelined for the past four games due to an upper-body injury, returned to practice Tuesday and could be back in the lineup against the Predators. "I’m just excited to practice with the team," Girgensons told reporters. "I’ve been a little bit bored the past couple of days with the injury. It’s never fun." Forward Evander Kane is dealing with a lower-body injury that forced him to miss Tuesday's practice, but Sabres coach Dan Bylsma expects him to play.
OVERTIME
1. The Predators are trying to avoid becoming the first team to be blanked in four straight games since the Oakland Seals in the 1967-68 season.
2. Sabres rookie C Jack Eichel, the second overall pick in this year's draft, is stuck in a six-game goal drought.
3. The Predators have won four straight in the series while outscoring Buffalo 14-3.