With only four games remaining on their schedule and a six-point gap in the pursuit of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars (37-31-10) are in Music City to take on Peter Laviolette's Nashville Predators (47-22-9) on Saturday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest Plus.
This is the fourth of five meetings between the teams this season, and the third and final game in Nashville. The Predators have won each of the first three games by scores of 4-1, 3-2, and 3-2 (OT). The season series concludes next Saturday in Dallas on the final day of the regular season.
Last night, the Stars were unable to protect a commanding lead and went down to a 7-5 home loss to the St. Louis Blues. In the process, Dallas wasted a three-point game by captain Jamie Benn (who reached the 30-goal milestone for the second straight season and moved into a tie for fourth in the NHL scoring race). Kari Lehtonen stopped just 13 of 19 shots before he was removed in the third period. Valeri Nichushkin made his return to the Stars lineup after a five-month absence due to hip surgery, recording one assist.
The Predators are still playing for first place in the Central Division but have been just as focused on getting healthy and going into the playoffs on a positive note. The team last played on Tuesday, earning one point in a 5-4 shootout loss to Vancouver.
The Preds have been without superstar defenseman Shea Weber (lower-body injury) for the last three games, forward Matt Cullen (lower body) the last five games and former Stars and Penguins sniper James Neal (upper body) for the last nine. All three players may return to the lineup for this game but are officially game-day decisions.