Predators at Golden Knights
The Nashville Predators answered a puzzling stretch in which they lost four of five contests with a milestone victory for their coach in their last outing. The Predators look to head into their league-mandated bye week with back-to-back wins on Wednesday when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights.
"It's huge for us. We wanted to respond, we had some meetings and figured it out, and we just have to keep going into the right direction," said Nashville forward Nick Bonino, who scored his 100th career goal to help Peter Laviolette claim his 600th coaching victory in Monday's 4-1 triumph over Colorado. Red-hot Viktor Arvidsson, who tallied for the 11th time in 14 outings to claim the team lead in goals (19), also scored as the Predators posted a 4-1 win over visiting Vegas on Oct. 30. Vegas has answered a seven-game winning streak with losses in three of its last five contests, including a 4-2 setback versus Minnesota on Monday. Alex Tuch scored his career-high 16th goal versus the Wild to give him 13 (four goals, nine assists) of his club-best 39 points in the last 12 games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (29-18-4): Nashville's offense is expected to receive a jolt with the return of Ryan Johansen from a two-game suspension for a high stick on Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele. The 26-year-old Johansen boosted his team-leading totals in assists (34) and points (42) by setting up six goals in five contests prior to the ban. Reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne returned to form against the Avalanche by stopping 35 of 36 shots after yielding 14 goals during his three-game winless skid.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (29-18-4): Max Pacioretty has scored a goal in back-to-back games for the second time this month to move within three tallies of team leader Jonathan Marchessault (17). Speaking of Marchessault, the 28-year-old Quebec native followed up his hat trick in Saturday's 7-3 win over Pittsburgh by setting up a goal against the Wild for his 99th career assist. Defenseman Colin Miller has set up two goals in consecutive contests since returning from a 13-game absence due to upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury boasts a 9-5-1 mark with two shutouts and a 1.95 goals-against average in 15 career appearances versus Nashville.
2. Predators RW Ryan Hartman scored twice in a 57-second span in the first meeting with the Golden Knights.
3. Vegas RW Reilly Smith, who scored his team's lone goal in the first encounter with Nashville, wore a non-contact practice jersey on Tuesday as he inches closer to a return from an undisclosed injury.