Predators at Devils
The Nashville Predators are riding a seven-game point streak as they prepare to visit the slumping New Jersey Devils on Thursday night in the final contest before the All-Star break. The Predators are two points out of first place in the ultra-competitive Central Division while New Jersey is trying to hang on to second place in the Metropolitan.
Nashville is 5-1-2 in January after its five-game winning streak was snapped in a 4-3 overtime loss to visiting Tampa Bay on Tuesday, yet four teams in its division own better records this month. "You win a game, and you seem to not move at all," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said. "You lose a game, and you take three steps backwards." The Devils have been going backward with losses in three straight and nine of 11 (2-6-3) and are among a pack of six teams separated by three points in the Metropolitan. New Jersey also has health concerns with its top two goaltenders hurting and forward Marcus Johansson sidelined again.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (28-11-7): Defenseman P.K. Subban has scored in back-to-back games to push his total to 11 goals -- surpassing last season's output -- while taking over the team scoring lead from injured forward Filip Forsberg with 35 points. Pekka Rinne has won his last four starts, but he has struggled against the Devils with a 3-2-3 record and 2.67 goals-against average in eight appearances. Top-line center Ryan Johansen is feeling the absence of Forsberg, managing only four assists over his last 11 games.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (24-15-8): New Jersey may be down to third-string netminder Ken Appleby, who made his NHL debut when backup Keith Kinkaid was hurt in Saturday's loss to Philadelphia and came on in relief again Tuesday when Cory Schneider was force to exit after two periods Tuesday. Johansson suffered his second concussion of the season when he took an elbow to the face from Boston's Brad Marchand, who was suspended five games by the NHL. Leading scorer Taylor Hall (hand), out the past two games, was scheduled to be re-evaluated Wednesday.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville and New Jersey have split the past four meetings, with the road team prevailing on each occasion.
2. The Devils are 1-for-17 on the power play over the past four games.
3. The Predators waived veteran F Cody McLeod on Wednesday.