Predators at Jets
The Nashville Predators have gone nearly a month without a regulation loss as they continue their five-game road trip with a visit to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. The Predators kicked off the trek with an impressive 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday to extend their franchise-record point streak to 12 games (8-0-4).
Nashville, which hasn't lost in regulation since a 5-3 setback to Washington on Feb. 9, holds a six-point edge over Minnesota for the No. 7 slot in the Western Conference. "We're just trying to focus on setting ourselves up and catching some of the teams ahead of us - and put some distance between the teams that are chasing us," Predators captain Shea Weber said. While Nashville may be unable to climb in the standings due to the play of division rivals Chicago, Dallas and St. Louis, Winnipeg has dropped eight of 10 (2-6-2) following a 2-1 setback to visiting Edmonton. The teams have split four meetings this season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (33-21-12): Since returning from a three-game injury absence, Weber has two goals and three assists during a three-game point streak - including an empty-net tally Saturday that tied him with Martin Erat for second on the franchise goal-scoring list with 163. "Guess I've been around here too long," Weber said. "Took long enough, I guess. I don't even pay attention to it, honestly." It's hard not to pay attention to red-hot forward Filip Forsberg, who scored his 14th goal in the the past 14 games Saturday to boost his season total to 28.
ABOUT THE JETS (27-33-5): Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele is on a tear of his own, averaging a goal per game over the past nine contests - punctuated by a six-goal outburst over the past three games that earned him NHL Second Star of the Week honors on Monday. The 22-year-old Scheifele has amassed 14 points during the past nine contests, but he has netting only six of his 21 goals in 30 away games. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who missed nearly three months with a knee injury, appeared in his first back-to-back over the weekend and had two solid outings by allowing four goals.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville has won five straight away from home to extend its road point string to 10 games (9-0-1).
2. The Jets are 2-for-21 on the power play over the past seven contests.
3. Predators F James Neal has three goals and three assists in the season series and 16 goals in his last 19 games against the Winnipeg franchise.