Predators at Red Wings
Both the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings will be without their cornerstone netminders Saturday night when the former Central Division rivals square off at Joe Louis Arena. The Predators will be without Pekka Rinne (knee sprain) for up to five weeks, though he wasn't missed in Friday's 4-3 win over Washington; the Red Wings are making ends meet without fellow All-Star Jimmy Howard, who will miss the next two-to-four weeks with a tear in his groin.
Petr Mrazek has filled in admirably for the hobbled Howard, posting a 3-1-0 mark in Detroit's last four games while allowing just eight goals over that span. His solid play helped the Red Wings post a 4-2-0 mark on their six-game road trip to open 2015, and they'll play their first home date of the calendar year against a Predators team that became the first in the conference to reach 30 wins. Mrazek is expected to get the start for Detroit, which is 13-4-6 at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS-TN (Nashville), FS-D+ (Detroit)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (30-9-4): Nashville was 4 1/2 minutes from losing its first game without Rinne before capitalizing on a man advantage - and a brain cramp from Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen - to stun the red-hot Capitals. The most encouraging development for the Predators was the play of forward James Neal, who scored twice - including the game winner with 1:20 remaining - and has four points in two games since returning from a two-week absence due to a lower-body injury. Neal has four goals in his last four contests overall.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (24-11-9): Detroit has been without a number of key players for extended periods, and general manager Ken Holland didn't have any good news on that front when talking to reporters earlier in the week. Holland says he doesn't expect any of his injured skaters to return prior to next week's All-Star break - and that includes goal-scoring forward Johan Franzen, who has been sidelined by headaches after being hit in a Jan. 6 game against Edmonton. Holland said Franzen doesn't even feel well enough to practice yet.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville has won back-to-back meetings, most recently a 6-4 decision Dec. 30, 2013.
2. Detroit has prevailed in eight of its last 10 games against Western Conference opponents.
3. Neal has five goals and eight assists in 15 career games against Detroit.