After a disappointing Boxing Day loss to the Detroit Red Wings, the Nashville Predators close out their holiday home stand with another tilt against an O6 team as the New York Rangers resume their schedule after an almost week-long break. The Rangers hot Smashville with 44 points, good for 2nd in the Eastern Conference, but the Blueshirts have been floating a bit in their last ten, posting a 3-6-1 record. The Rangers beat Nashville at MSG back in November 3-0.
The focus will be on two of the top goaltenders in the league as Pekka Rinne and Henrik Lundqvist go head-to-head. Lundqvist posted a shutout against the Preds last time, stopping all 31 shots he faced.
Nashville’s offense is continuing to sputter but definitely showing signs of breaking out of their pre-Christmas funk. Filip Forsberg has been on fire recently, he is currently on a four game point streak (3g-2a) and Saturday’s two goal performance was the second multi-goal game of the month for the young star. The other big news of the night could be the return of Mike Fisher. He had a full skate with the team yesterday and a decision will be made today about his return to the lineup.
Game time is 7pm and limited tickets remain for what is sure to be a good one. Game coverage on the Predators flagship station 102.5 the Game and Fox Sports Tennessee.
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Random Notes
- All-Star Voting Update – Shea Weber continues to drop, now down to #27 in overall vote getters and is 8th in the Central race for captain of the team. Other Preds… Roman Josi is at #49, Pekka Rinne at #60. You can vote up to 10 times a day at the NHL’s All-Star Voting Site
- Mike Fisher skated on a line with Colin Wilson and Viktor Arvidsson in practice yesterday.
- Filip Forsberg is only seven points short of 100 for his young career.
- Here we go again… now Evander Kane apparently the subject of a sex offense allegation. Ugh…
- A quick look at the standings in the Central shows Dallas running away with the division… nine points up on St. Louis and 13 points up on Chicago. The Predators have games in hand over all three of those teams.
- Six games on the NHL schedule tonight (all start times CT) – 6pm – WAS @ BUF. 6:30pm – MTL @ TBL. 7pm – NYR @ NSH, DET @ MIN. 9pm LAK @ VAN. 9:30pm – COL @ SJS.
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