Blues at Predators
The Nashville Predators attempt to avenge a season-opening loss when they host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Nashville allowed three goals in the first 9:45 of the game en route to a 4-2 loss to St. Louis on Oct. 3. The Predators are coming off their third win in four contests, a 3-2 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
St. Louis rallied from a two-goal deficit against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday before dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime. Alex Steen scored a power-play goal with seven seconds remaining in the second period and set up Vladimir Sobotka's tying tally 1:38 into the third. But Patrik Berglund was called for hooking at 4:26 of the extra session, and Ryan Kesler scored his second goal of the night 19 seconds later to give the Canucks the win.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE BLUES (5-1-2): St. Louis showed signs of rust at the start of Friday's game after being off for six days, which displeased captain David Backes. "It's unacceptable. We can't start slow, we can't dig holes like that and expect to be able to dig out," he said. Steen leads the Blues with eight goals and 13 points.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (6-4-1): Carter Hutton has begun his tenure with Nashville in fine form, going 2-0-0 with a 1.37 goals-against average. The 27-year-old figures to make his second straight start Saturday as Pekka Rinne remains sidelined with an infection in his left hip. Craig Smith is tied with David Legwand for the team lead with seven points in 11 games after registering 12 in 44 contests last season.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis has seen each of its last three games go beyond regulation.
2. Rinne is expected to be out at least four weeks with his injury.
3. The Predators are off until Thursday, when they kick off a seven-game road trip at Phoenix.