Predators at Coyotes
The Nashville Predators are breathing rarefied air as an 11-0-1 stretch has allowed the team to reach triple digits in points in just 69 games, signifying the fastest mark in franchise history. Tied with Tampa Bay in the race for the Presidents' Trophy, the Predators aim to continue their torrid stretch on Thursday as they open a three-game road trip against the Arizona Coyotes.
"As we sit here and push toward it late in the season, we're trying to battle for what we need to do in order to better ourselves for the playoffs, and obviously, the division and the conference," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. Pekka Rinne has played a big role in the Predators' ascent to an eight-point lead over second-place Winnipeg, turning aside 32 shots in Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Jets to improve his save percentage to a scintillating .945 in his past nine starts. Although separated from Nashville by a staggering 43 points, Arizona owns an 11-3-2 mark in its last 16 contests to escape the NHL's cellar by moving past Buffalo. "You want to get the fans excited about coming and watching and getting wins on home ice," Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski said of the club's 8-2-1 record in its past 11 games at Gila River Arena.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS Arizona-Plus
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (45-14-10): Captain Roman Josi has answered a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury by notching an assist in back-to-back contests, giving him 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in his last eight outings. The 27-year-old Switzerland native also set up two goals in Nashville's 3-2 shootout win over Arizona on Jan. 18. Austin Watson scored versus the Jets to increase his point total to six (five goals, one assist) in his last nine games.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (23-35-11): Antti Raanta participated in Arizona's optional practice on Wednesday, although assistant coach John MacLean wasn't ready to declare the 28-year-old Finn ready to return from a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury. "He felt better but I think you just have to wait on these things and how it responds afterward. We'll just kind of go day by day with all the goalie stuff," MacLean said. As for MacLean, he is expected to return to his traditional role as head coach Rick Tocchet will rejoin the team on Thursday after dealing with a family illness.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville C Craig Smith scored in his team's 3-2 overtime loss to Arizona on Jan. 4 and netted the eventual winner in the shootout between the teams in the next encounter.
2. Coyotes C Derek Stepan has one goal and four assists in his past six games.
3. The Predators are 0-for-12 on the power play in the last four contests and 0-for-5 against Arizona this season.