Predators at Stars
The Nashville Predators have wrapped a spot in the postseason but still are unsure who they will play in the opening round. With potential matchups against three opponents, the paramount concern for the Predators is improving their play with two regular-season games remaining, beginning with Thursday's visit to the Dallas Stars.
Nashville is tied with Calgary on points for the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference and sits one point behind third-place St. Louis in the Central Division. Yet the Predators have dropped four of their last five games and scored one goal in each of the setbacks. "We need to be a little bit better and hit the road here and get a couple of good games here going into the playoffs," captain Mike Fisher said. "We've got to be better for sure." Reigning Western Conference regular-season champion Dallas will finish sixth in the Central but is dangerous at home with a 21-12-6 mark, including three straight wins at American Airlines Center.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (40-28-12): Nashville used Tuesday's game to bring two players out of moth balls, with forward Miikka Salomaki coming off injured reserve for his first game since Oct. 15 and defenseman Brad Hunt making his first appearance since he was acquired off waivers on Jan. 17. Salomaki played primarily on the fourth line last season while Hunt played nine games with St. Louis before his release. Coach Peter Laviolette said he wanted to see both players as "we move toward" the playoffs.
ABOUT THE STARS (33-36-11): Rookie defenseman Julius Honka made his first NHL goal a memorable one, delivering the game-winning tally in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime victory over Arizona. Forward Jason Dickinson, who scored in his NHL debut -- and only game last season -- also collected his first tally in his eighth game this season after returning from hip surgery. "I just feel comfortable," said Dickinson, a 2013 first-round pick. "I'm getting a lot of information, and each game is getting a lot easier."
OVERTIME
1. Predators F Filip Forsberg has six goals in 14 career games versus Dallas and four points in four games this season.
2. Stars F Brett Ritchie has scored in back-to-back games and has two tallies and an assist in four meetings with Nashville this season.
3. The Stars have failed to score on the power play in nine of their last 10 games while Nashville is 1-for-20 in its last six.