Ducks at Predators
The Nashville Predators will try to extend their franchise-record nine-game winning streak and continue their march toward the top of the NHL when they host the surging Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Nashville defeated Dallas 2-0 on Tuesday and is six points clear of second-place Winnipeg in the Central Division, six ahead of Pacific-leading Vegas and one behind Tampa Bay for the Presidents' Trophy.
"It's so much fun right now, nine wins in a row," Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, who recorded his 50th career shutout Tuesday and is 17-1-1 in his last 19 games, told reporters. "We're feeling good and the team is fairly healthy and clicking really good right now." Anaheim completed a 3-0-1 homestand with a 4-0 victory over Washington on Tuesday as John Gibson made 36 saves for his career-high sixth straight win. "I think we're just playing, like we have the last few years," Gibson told reporters. "It's been a different year as far as injuries and personnel and whatnot, but we're all here now and we want to make the most of it." The Ducks, who have reached the Western Conference finals in two of the last three seasons, have climbed into second in the Pacific, one point ahead of San Jose and three points clear for a playoff spot.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FS Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (34-21-12): Rickard Rakell (team highs of 28 goals and 56 points) scored in his fourth straight game Tuesday and has six goals during that span, inching him closer to the career-best total of 33 he accumulated last season. Ryan Getzlaf (club-best 38 assists, 47 points) has one goal and eight assists in his last three games, and two and 10 over his past six contests. Gibson (25-15-6, 2.46 goals-against average, .927 save percentage), is 8-1-1, 1.55, .953 since the All-Star break for Anaheim, which has killed 25 straight penalties.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (43-14-9): Viktor Arvidsson was kept off the scoresheet against Dallas but has six of his team-leading 24 goals and 12 points during the winning streak. Ryan Hartman has provided a boost with two goals and one assist in five games since being acquired from Chicago, where he had eight goals and 25 points in 57 games this season. Roman Josi (10 goals, 44 points, plus-14), who recorded a goal and 11 assists during a five-game stretch at the end of February, has missed the last three because of an upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville D P.K. Subban (50 points) shares the lead among NHL blueliners in goals (15) with Calgary's Dougie Hamilton and is on pace to record a career-high 62 points.
2. The Predators, who defeated the Ducks in six games to win the Western Conference in May, won the first two of three meetings this season - 3-2 in a shootout Dec. 2 and 5-3 on Nov. 3 in Anaheim.
3. Nashville, which has outscored opponents 39-18 during the winning streak, allows an NHL-low 2.47 goals per game.