Predators at Flyers
Having finally put an end to a franchise-record goalless drought, the Nashville Predators look to wrap up a five-game road trip on a positive note when they visit another offensively challenged team in the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday afternoon. The Predators halted a skid of three consecutive shutout losses with a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.
Nashville had gone 227 minutes, 39 seconds between goals before Mike Fisher scored to end an inexplicable dry spell. "At some point, we were going to score a goal," Predators coach Peter Laviolette told reporters. "I just think there’s a lot of confidence in our guys that we’re going to score." Philadelphia came up short in its bid to win back-to-back games for the first time in more than a month, dropping a 3-1 decision at the New York Islanders on Wednesday. The Flyers haven't won in regulation at home since blanking Chicago on Oct. 14.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, SNET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (12-6-3): Not only did Nashville end its team-wide drought, Fisher and forward Cody Hodgson each halted personal eight-game goalless streaks against Buffalo. "We know we can score goals in here," Hodgson told the media. "We've got enough talent and ability and we've scored goals before. It was never a question of will we ever score again, it was just when." The Predators will be looking for a bounce-back performance from netminder Pekka Rinne, who has lost his last three starts while giving up a combined 10 goals.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (7-10-5): Philadelphia has won only three times in its last 15 games (3-8-4) mainly due to a punchless offense that has been limited to one goal or fewer eight times in that span. "We're just inconsistent," Flyers captain Claude Giroux told reporters. "It's the same story every game. We need to find a way to be consistent the whole game. I'm not too sure what to say. It's the same story every game." Forward R.J. Umberger, sidelined since blocking a shot on Nov. 7, returned to practice Thursday for the first time to test his ailing foot.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville is 0-for-13 on the power play over the past four games.
2. Philadelphia has killed off all 14 short-handed situations in the past four contests.
3. The Predators recalled F Colton Sissons from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League after F Paul Gaustad was injured Wednesday.