Rangers at Predators
The Nashville Predators couldn't have played much better in their last outing while the New York Rangers were hard-pressed to play any worse. After going to extremes in their respective encounters, the red-hot Predators and reeling Rangers will reconvene at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday to complete their season series.
Filip Forsberg returned from an 11-game absence due to an upper-body injury to collect a goal and an assist on Thursday as Nashville improved to 7-1-1 in its last nine with a 5-0 romp over Los Angeles. The 23-year-old Swede also scored and set up a goal in the first encounter versus New York on Oct. 21, but the Rangers skated away with a 4-2 triumph for their eighth victory in their last 11 outings against the Predators. New York is singing a far different tune heading into Music City this time around, as it fell for the fourth time in its last five games with a listless 4-0 setback versus Toronto on Thursday. "You don't want to forget about it," Mats Zuccarello said after Friday's practice. "It's not good enough for anyone and you have to recognize that and look at your game and be ready for the next one."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (25-21-5): Coach Alain Vigneault is looking toward Jimmy Vesey to step up with fellow forward Pavel Buchnevich sidelined indefinitely with the upper-body injury he sustained against the Maple Leafs. "I'm thinking right away of a guy like Jimmy who all year long is begging for more ice time," Vigneault said. "Now he's getting an opportunity to play with Mike (Michael Grabner) and Nasher (Rick Nash), two pretty good players. He's got to elevate his game." Vesey, who scored and set up a goal in the first meeting with Nashville, was selected by the Predators in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (30-12-7): Pekka Rinne turned aside 19 shots to record consecutive shutouts in the regular season for the third time in his NHL career, and first since Feb. 12-14, 2013. "I think we all have a lot of confidence in each other and we know the potential and skill that we have in this locker room," said the 35-year-old Finn, who has posted a .928 save percentage during his six-game winning streak. Viktor Arvidsson scored his fourth goal in six games versus the Kings and Craig Smith also tallied as the two remained tied with Forsberg for the team lead with 16 goals.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist owns a 7-3-0 mark with two shutouts, a 1.90 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage in his last 10 appearances versus Nashville.
2. The Predators' second-ranked power play has scored four times in the last four games overall, but went 0-for-5 in the first meeting with the Rangers.
3. New York RW Kevin Hayes has six points (one goal, five assists) in his last three encounters with Nashville, including scoring a goal and setting up another in October.