Predators at Devils
Matt Cullen continues to be productive while the Nashville Predators are mired in the worst stretch of their impressive season. Slated to compete in his 1,200th NHL contest, Cullen looks to extend his point streak to five games when the Predators visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. The veteran scored his team's lone goal as Nashville suffered its third straight loss, a 4-1 setback to the New York Rangers on Monday.
Cullen has recorded two goals and four assists during his run and also tallied in the Predators' 3-1 victory over New Jersey on Feb. 14. Speaking of point streaks, Mike Cammalleri is riding high on a six-game run after notching an assist in the Devils' 2-0 victory over Columbus on Saturday. Cammalleri has scored five goals and set up three others during his point streak while New Jersey is enjoying a 5-1-1 run as it resides nine points behind Boston in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), MSG (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (41-16-7): Pekka Rinne made 33 saves against the Devils last month to improve to 14-1-1 in a 16-start stretch but since has posted a 2-4-1 record. Should the workhorse Finn receive the night off after making 36 saves versus the Rangers, Carter Hutton would be in line to make his first start since turning aside 16 shots in a 2-1 victory over Buffalo on Feb. 22. Hutton has won four straight decisions, including three on the road after beginning the season with an 0-4-4 mark away from home.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (26-27-10): New Jersey sent Marek Zidlicky to Detroit for a conditional third-round pick on Monday, a move that was complicated by the veteran defenseman's no-trade clause. "I can tell you there were certainly better situations as far as from the New Jersey Devils' end of it, but Marek, if this were to take place, he had his choice," general manager Lou Lamoriello told the Bergen Record. The 38-year-old Zidlicky declared that he wanted to play for a Stanley Cup contender but wasn't interested in distancing himself too far from his wife and son in New Jersey.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey G Cory Schneider has recorded two shutouts in his last four outings but yielded three goals on 38 shots to take the loss in the first meeting with Nashville.
2. Predators C Mike Santorelli, who notched an assist versus the Rangers, scored and set up a goal in the first encounter with the Devils.
3. New Jersey RW Steve Bernier scored in the first meeting with Nashville but has been held off the scoresheet in each of the following seven contests.