Predators at Islanders
Division leaders collide as the Central-best Nashville Predators vie for their seventh straight victory when they open a three-game road trip against the New York Islanders on Thursday. The Predators capped a perfect four-game homestand in dominating fashion on Tuesday, as Craig Smith recorded his third two-goal performance of the campaign and Pekka Rinne made a season-high 42 saves in a 5-1 rout of San Jose. Rinne, who is a blistering 15-1-1 in his last 17 outings, owns a 3-0-1 career record versus New York with a stingy 1.47 goals-against average.
The Metropolitan-leading Islanders enter Thursday's tilt on a high as well, bouncing back from a 6-5 loss to the rival New York Rangers on Monday with a 4-1 triumph over Carolina the following night. Captain John Tavares is enjoying a sizzling three-game stretch during which he has recorded four goals and three assists, and he recorded one of each in his last meeting with Nashville - a 3-1 triumph on Nov. 13, 2013. Rookie Anders Lee also scored versus the Hurricanes, marking his sixth goal to go along with five assists in his last nine contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (39-12-6): Captain Shea Weber has scored two goals and set up four others during his three-game point streak but has registered just three assists in seven career meetings with the Islanders. Veteran Mike Ribeiro has set up three goals in his last two contests and resides nine assists shy of 500 for his career. Smith has recorded back-to-back multi-point performances after being held off the scoresheet in each of his previous eight contests.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (38-19-1): While Rinne leads the league with 34 wins, Jaroslav Halak hasn't been too shabby in his own right with 31 - and is one victory shy of tying the franchise record for a single season. Halak trails only Billy Smith (1981-82), Chris Osgood (2001-02) and Rick DiPietro (2006-07) for the club mark, and Frans Nielsen could go a long way in helping the team's current netminder collect more victories. The 30-year-old Dane recorded his third straight multi-point performance with two assists versus Carolina.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville is vying for its first seven-game winning streak since Nov. 12-25, 2009.
2. The Islanders are 4-1-1 in their last six home games versus the Predators.
3. Immigration issues have prevented D Cody Franson and C Mike Santorelli from beginning their second stints with Nashville since being acquired from Toronto on Sunday.