6:30 PM CT – Predators (26-15-4) @ Rangers (28-11-4)
Players to watch:
NSH- Shea Weber
With Ryan Suter likely out, the onus will be on the defense to step up collectively. Look for Weber’s ice-time to be in the 28-30 minute range.
NYR- Brad Richards
Richards has gone pointless over the last four games, but has 23 points in 20 career games vs. Nashville.
Starting goaltenders:
NSH- Anders Lindback (2011-12 stats: 2-4-0, 2.75 GAA)
NYR- Henrik Lundqvist (2011-12 stats: 19-9-4, 1.95 GAA)
Injury report:
NSH- Ryan Suter (upper body, out), Craig Smith (flu, probable), Jerred Smithson (lower body, out)
NYR- Brandon Dubinsky (shoulder, questionable), Ruslan Fedotenko (back, questionable), Steve Eminger (shoulder, out), Jeff Woywitka (foot, out), Michael Sauer (concussion, out)
Keys to the game:
NSH- Neutralize Gaborik… With 23 tallies, Marian Gaborik is the runaway goal-scoring leader for the Blueshirts. Since the start of November, 17 of Gaborik’s 18 goals have come in victories. When he has an off-night, it forces the depth players to step up. He needs to be a main focus for the Preds tonight.
NYR- A strong first period… In each of their last two road games, the Preds have come flying out of the gates to take 3-0 leads. Both were convincing victories. The Rangers, coming off a loss in Montreal, need to get off to a quick start and take advantage of a team on the back end of a back-to-back. They are 20-1-1 when scoring first.
Numbers to know:
- The Preds are 12-8-1 on the road this season … New York is 13-4-2 at home.
- The Preds are 6-2-2 against the Eastern Conference this season … New York is 6-3-2 against the West.
- This is the only head-to-head meeting this season. The Rangers won the only meeting last year, 2-1 in a shootout, in Nashville.
- All-time, the Preds 7-6-(1)-1 against the Rangers, 5-2-(1)-0 in New York.
- The Preds are 2-3-0 on the back half of back-to-back’s this season; they beat the Islanders yesterday, 3-1.
- Anders Lindback has never faced the Rangers. His likely counterpart, Henrik Lundqvist, is 3-2-0 with a 1.79 GAA and .938 save percentage in 5 career games vs. Nashville.
- Power play rankings: Nashville (21.4%, 3rd) … New York (14.5%, 23rd)
- Penalty kill: Nashville (82.5%, 15th) … New York (86.5%, 5th)
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