Coyotes at Predators
The Nashville Predators look to rebound after seeing their six-game home winning streak come to a halt when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. The Predators answered a 2-1 setback at Arizona on Nov. 15 by winning four of their next five before dropping a 3-2 decision versus Colorado on Tuesday.
Filip Forsberg recorded his seventh point in eight games with an assist on Kevin Fiala's goal midway into the second period against to the Avalanche, but Nashville failed to solve Semyon Varlamov again despite unleashing 38 shots on goal. "We've won games we haven't played well and we've lost games we could have won. That kind of cancels each other out," the 24-year-old Forsberg said. "We know we can play better. At the same time, it’s a long run." Arizona knows that all too well, as it answered a season-best five-game winning streak by losing eight of 10 before rallying from a two-goal deficit in the third period for a 4-3 win at Minnesota on Tuesday. "It was unbelievable actually how the team rallied together there," said rookie Adin Hill, who relieved an injured Antti Raanta and stopped all five shots he faced in the third period.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, TVAS, FS Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (10-11-2): The injury bug has been a prevalent one for Raanta, who has appeared in just 12 of the team's 23 games this season due to a lower-body ailment. "We're still evaluating 'Rants.' He had to go get looked at today. Everything's kind of on hold," coach Rick Tocchet said of the 29-year-old Finn. Hunter Miska was recalled as a precaution, although he could find himself backing up Hill on Thursday with the two combining for seven NHL appearances.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (17-7-1): Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Pekka Rinne yielded two goals on 23 shots in a losing effort earlier this month versus Arizona, against which he owns an 18-8-2 mark with six shutouts and a .928 save percentage in 29 career encounters. Defenseman Roman Josi set up a goal versus the Coyotes and did the same against Colorado to give him seven points -- all assists -- in his last seven games. Fiala scored versus the Avalanche to extend his point streak to three games while fellow forward Ryan Hartman tallied for the second time in that stretch.
OVERTIME
1. Arizona RW Josh Archibald returned from a two-game suspension to record his first career three-point performance (two goals, one assist) in his last outing.
2. Nashville has yielded three power-play goals in the last two contests after preventing being scored upon while short-handed in its previous five games.
3. Coyotes D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (team-leading 10 assists) has been held off the scoresheet in each of his last five contests.