GDT #47: 1/29/15 | 7:00PM CST | v Predators | FSMW/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

The Nashville Predators are atop the Central Division thanks to their world-class goaltender and overwhelming home-ice advantage.

Though the absence of the former hasn't cost them the latter, they'll face a significant challenge as they try to solve their road woes.

Persisting without Pekka Rinne, the Predators kick off a three-game trip with their final game of the season against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.

Nashville (31-10-5) extended its home winning streak to eight with a 4-3 overtime win over Colorado on Tuesday. Carter Hutton made 21 saves for his second victory in four starts since taking over for Rinne, who's expected to miss another two to four weeks with a sprained knee.

Hutton relieved Rinne when he was hurt against Vancouver on Jan. 13 and has posted a 3.05 goals-against average in his five appearances since the injury, a far cry from Rinne's 1.96 GAA in 37 starts. Hutton allowed the tying goal with 36 seconds remaining in regulation Tuesday, but the Predators won on Craig Smith's 14th goal.

"It just goes back to the confidence we have in each other and the way we keep finding ways to win," center Colin Wilson told the team's official site. "Obviously we don't want to give up that late goal, we'd rather win it in regulation, but the fact we keep responding after moments like that is big ... We're finding ways to get it done in OT, and it shows how much our team wants to win."

Even with Rinne, however, the Predators weren't nearly as imposing away from home, as they're 12-8-4 on the road compared to a league-best 19-2-1 at Nashville. The Predators have gone 2-2-3 in their last seven road games, with Hutton starting four of them and going 0-2-2 with a 3.58 GAA.

Nashville has given up 3.71 goals over those seven contests. The Predators rank in the top 10 in the league with 2.98 goals scored per game but have managed 2.25 in their last four away from home.

The Blues' only win in four meetings with Nashville this season came at home Nov. 13 by a 4-3 score. St. Louis (29-13-4) lost both of the following matchups in December on the road.

"The games have been close but they've beat us," coach Ken Hitchcock told the Blues' website. "Quite frankly, we've pushed them hard but they've responded. This is a good test for us."

Brian Elliott, tops in the league with a 1.86 GAA, faced 47 shots in the most recent meeting, a 3-2 loss Dec. 30. He's given up one goal over his last two starts.

St. Louis returns to action after posting a 7-0-1 mark going into the All-Star break.

"We've been rolling and we wanted to keep it going," forward Alexander Steen said following a 3-1 victory over the Avalanche on Jan. 19. "(That) I think was probably our best game this year, from goalie out."

Steen has set his own torrid pace with seven goals and 11 assists during a 10-game point streak. David Backes has totaled seven goals and 10 assists in those contests, while T.J. Oshie has eight goals and six assists in that span.

St. Louis acquired Marcel Goc from Pittsburgh on Tuesday for Maxim Lapierre in a swap of centers. Goc had six points in 43 games for the Penguins.

[glen a richter]

The long national nightmare of a 9 day break is finally over. Let's shake the rust off and get back at it.

[abc789987]

Two points please and zero to these guys. That's all I ask.

[WaukeeBlues]

Finally, good God.

Hope there's no slump in the guys from such a long break though I fear there will be.

Preds 2
Blues 1

[cardsfan04]

This was cruel and unusual. Thank god it's over.

[gaijin]

Hoockey game? What is such a thing?

Let's hope the boys are back in execution mode and not still in vacation mode.

2 points, please.

[drwoland]

HOLY (Frank) HOCKEY

Rough deal having the Preds be your first game back.

4-3 Blues. EEEET EEEEES DDEEEEEECIIIIDDDDEEDDD

[cprice12]

My daughter and I will be at the game tonight.
The last time we went was the drubbing we dished out to San Jose.

I'm hoping for more of the same tonight.

[ViPeRx007]

Dang, I forgot the season was still going....

That break gets an F-

[cardsfan04]

I'm a little nervous about tonight's game. First game back for us could mean some rust. In theory, same would be true for Nashville, but they played on Tuesday.

[STLADOGG]

WEIGHT, TEH HOOKIES IZ BAK!!!!!!

[drwoland]

DUMB penalty by Jackman there, and IMO a missed instigator call. Cole wanted none of it until Nystrom threw him to the ground.

[drwoland]

Some emphatic goals. None of that "puck just barely trickling over the net at a weird angle" bullshit. Smashing into the back. If this was a game of fooseball, the ball would have popped out the back of the table.

Oshie looked possessed on that PP.

[gaijin]

Two points please and zero to these guys. That's all I ask.

You can't always get what you want...

But if you try sometimes, you just might find...

You get what you need.

[STLADOGG]

Yaaa! Damn we looked good for like 30 minutes. But like shit the other 35 minutes.

[Fradi]

Was alright for a start I guess, but to think if we'd have faced Rinne in net...
Doesn't matter, 2 points in the bag is what's most important in these games, and I still don't believe the Preds would be a threat in the playoffs anyway.

[abc789987]

Two points please and zero to these guys. That's all I ask.

You can't always get what you want...

But if you try sometimes, you just might find...

You get what you need.

I'll take it I suppose... Would have been pissed if they got the two points...

[glen a richter]

Given I was expecting them to lose, I guess this is good enough though I'm not happy about giving them the loser point. Whatever.

[cprice12]

We played quite well most of the 1st period. That first goal off of the glass and off of Elliott's back and in was about as flukey of a goal as you will see. Geez. I'm glad it didn't turn out to be "one of THOSE games".

The 2nd period was killer. 6 goals scored, 4 by the Blues...and 3 straight after going down 2-0. The crowd was going bananas. My 5-year old daughter was having a blast! I bought her a foam finger, which she REALLY wanted...and she was jumping up and down chanting "Let's Go Blues!!" along with the crowd and waving her foam finger in the air. She was giddy and on cloud 9. That was a lot of fun to see. I think she was more excited than I was.
Last year at her first Blues game, she really enjoyed it...but not at the level she did last night.

We played ok for half of the 3rd, but Nashville was coming on...you could feel it. We got caught standing around on the tying goal...which is really inexcusable with 2 minutes to go...how aren't you busting ass to kill the rest of the clock?

This was a bluenote club game for my daughter. So we left our seats with 5 minutes to go so we could get in line to go on the ice after the game so she could shoot a puck, meet Louie and take a photo (so I could meet Angela Sharp ). We watched the tying goal, OT and Shootout on the tv in the apparel store. Last year we waited until after the game to get in line and the line was friggin' looooong. We were like 15th in line last night, which was great.

That game was a lot of fun. Yeah, it sucked we gave them a loser point, but my feelings towards games against the top teams in the league are that it doesn't matter if you give up bad goals or don't play well for part of the game as long as you win the game. I'm not going to complain too much about any win against a top team, especially one we are chasing. Those are very tough games and getting 2 pts. is good no matter how they come.

[dmiles2186]

That was, just from a fan of the sport's perspective, a great hockey game. Just back and forth. That 2nd period was electric. Late goal for the Preds to send to OT, and shockingly, OT was pretty exciting. Neither team was sitting back just waiting for the shootout. They were going after it. That said, I'm hoping the Blues play a little better overall tonight, and if so, they should trounce the 'Canes 9-1.