Coyotes at Predators
The Phoenix Coyotes had been nearly invincible on their home ice until dropping their last two games and must try to regroup during a rugged stretch that features six of their next seven on the road, beginning with Monday's game at the Nashville Predators. Phoenix absorbed its first regulation home defeat against Anaheim on Saturday night to drop to eighth place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. The Coyotes outlasted visiting Nashville in a shootout on Oct. 31.
The Predators have had a couple of Jekyll-and-Hyde stretches this month, getting outscored 17-2 during a four-game losing streak before rebounding with three straight victories in which they piled up 13 goals and allowed only four. Nashville's three-game run was snapped in a 2-0 home loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday night in which it had only 17 shots on goal. Rookie Marek Mazanec has taken over as the No. 1 netminder, starting six consecutive games.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, KTVK (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (14-5-4): Forward Martin Hanzal, tied for the team scoring lead with captain Shane Doan, exited in the first period against Anaheim with a lower-body injury. Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said Hanzal will accompany the team to Nashville and will be evaluated at the team's morning skate. "I've always said Marty is our most important forward," Doan said. "He makes everything go for us, he gives us depth and he's a big body in the middle that's so good in front of the net."
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (11-10-2): Nashville also could be without a key player - forward Patric Hornqvist played four shifts against the Rangers before leaving with an upper-body injury. Hornqvist is tied for the team lead in goals (six) and is third in points (13), but coach Barry Trotz noted his presence in front of the net is a key to the team's offense. "He gets into the hard areas, he keeps pucks alive, he gets a screen," Trotz said. "When Patric is in the blue paint area, every shot is dangerous.”
OVERTIME
1. Doan is riding an eight-game point streak.
2. Predators leading scorer David Legwand has 13 points in his last 13 games.
3. Phoenix is 28th in the league on the penalty kill with a 76.1 percent success rate.