Predators at Blues
Buoyed by the dazzling skills of rising star Vladimir Tarasenko, the surging St. Louis Blues go for their eighth consecutive victory when they host the Nashville Predators on Saturday night. Tarasenko has ignited the current tear by pumping in eight goals in the past six contests for the Blues, who are seeking their longest winning streak since ripping off nine straight victories early in the 2002 season. St. Louis has dominated Central Division rival Nashville, winning six straight and 10 of 11.
While the Blues are playing the second contest of a five-game homestand, which features a rematch against the Predators on Thursday night, Nashville is wrapping up a six-game road trip in which it has alternated wins and losses. The Predators squandered a two-goal lead in Dallas on Thursday before squeezing out a 3-2 victory on Matt Cullen's goal with just over six minutes to play. "I liked our response when faced with a little bit of adversity," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "It was a good team win, good road win."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (8-3-2): Nashville acquired Filip Forsberg in a trade with Washington late in the 2012-13 season and the young Swede is starting to show the scoring skills that had him rated as one of the top young players in the world. The 20-year-old Forsberg has tallied four times during a three-game goal-scoring streak to give him 13 points in as many games. The Predators had received dismal production from their power play over the first three weeks of the season, converting only 2-of-27 attempts, but they have scored four times with the man-advantage over the past four games.
ABOUT THE BLUES (9-3-1): Tarasenko, who is riding a four-game goal-scoring streak, is becoming a fixture on ESPN's "SportsCenter" with some spectacular highlight-reel tallies - including a pair this week in wins over the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils. “We expect that, he’s a hell of a player,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. “I think the thing that’s impressive ... there’s probably players in the league that have got as many goals as him. But not as many important goals. His sense of timing, for me, is the most important part.” Despite Jake Allen winning three straight, Brian Elliott will start in net.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis won all five meetings last season, holding Nashville to two goals or fewer four times.
2. Predators G Pekka Rinne is 13-11-4 with a 2.09 goals-against average in his career against the Blues.
3. Elliott is 5-2-0 with a 1.81 GAA versus Nashville.