Stars at Predators
The Nashville Predators get a chance to avenge their only regulation home loss of the season when they host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday in a matchup of Central Division rivals. The Predators have won four in a row at Bridgestone Arena and own a six-game point streak at home since dropping a 2-1 decision to Dallas on Oct. 18.
Nashville kicked off a three-game homestand with a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay behind a pair of goals by defenseman P.K. Subban, acquired in the offseason for former Predators captain Shea Weber. Nashville has been unable to solve the Stars, losing seven of the last eight meetings, including four of five last season. Dallas, however, has struggled with inconsistency for much of the season and is seeking to win back-to-back games for the second time. The Stars are coming off a 3-2 victory at Minnesota on Monday that snapped a string of nine straight overtime losses dating to last season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TVAS, FSN Southwest Plus (Dallas), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE STARS (8-7-5): Coach Lindy Ruff scratched John Klingberg from Monday night's win for missing a team meeting and explained that he also wanted the talented young defenseman to raise his level of play. "Teams got a book on him and they know what he is going to try and do and they are making it extremely tough on him," Ruff told reporters. "You've got to counteract that by making the right decisions." Klingberg is a minus-9 on the season after registering a plus-22 in 2015-16.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (8-7-3): Forward Filip Forsberg, who pumped in 33 goals last season, is still stuck on one tally but has 12 assists to tie Subban for Nashville's scoring lead. Some of Forsberg's veteran teammates think the 22-year-old is feeling weight to produce after signing a six-year, $36 million contract in the offseason. "Even when he's not scoring, he's finding other ways to contribute," netminder Pekka Rinne told reporters. "That's a really good asset, not only for him, but for the whole team."
OVERTIME
1. Rinne is 6-1-2 this month and has allowed more than two goals only once.
2. Stars leading scorer Tyler Seguin has six goals and seven assists in 10 road games.
3. Forsberg has four goals and eight points in 11 games versus Dallas.