PREDATORS (18-12-6) at BLUES (22-12-4)
TV: NBCSN, SNO, SNP
Season series: The St. Louis Blues have won each of the first two games against the Nashville Predators. Vladimir Tarasenko and David Backes scored in the third period of a 2-1 victory Dec. 17. Jake Allen made an NHL career-high 45 saves, and Alexander Steen had a goal and an assist in a 4-0 win in Nashville on Nov. 7. Allen has 72 saves in two games.
Predators team scope: Forward Filip Forsberg extended his point streak to five games (four goals, two assists) when he opened the scoring with a power-play goal in a 5-3 victory against the New York Rangers on Monday. He has four goals in the past four games after he had six in his first 32. Center Mike Ribeiro had three assists to extend his point streak to four games (one goal, seven assists). "I think when we're a team that brings emotion to the game, we're a different team," Ribeiro said. "We play with more energy to our game, and we're just faster at getting pucks, we're forechecking, we're creating turnovers. It's just hard to bring that every night, so you have to find a way to motivate yourself." Nashville, which was 3-1-0 on its four-game homestand, hasn't played a road game since Dec. 17 at St. Louis. The Predators begin a stretch in which they'll play 11 of 14 away from Bridgestone Arena. Goalie Pekka Rinne, the projected starter, is 0-5-2 in his past seven road games; he has not won on the road since a 3-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 5.
Blues team scope: Center Kyle Brodziak, who has missed five games with a lower-body injury stemming from a skate cut sustained in the Dec. 17 game against Nashville, could return to the lineup. Brodziak, who skated during an optional practice Monday, has been considered day-to-day. "I'm not sure what the plan is yet for tomorrow," Brodziak said. "I'm going to wait and see the rest of the day how it reacts and see how it feels in the morning. Hopefully things are going well. It'll be a coaching decision after that." St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock feels if Brodziak isn't able to play Tuesday, he'll be ready to go Thursday against the Wild. Allen will start. Forward Patrik Berglund, who has missed the entire season following shoulder surgery Aug. 28, said Monday he has been cleared for contact, but there is no timetable for a return to the lineup. The Blues have won three straight against the Predators. St. Louis has won three in a row at home and four of the past five.
The St. Louis Blues have used Jake Allen and some strong work on the power play to beat the Nashville Predators twice this season.
They figure to try to employ that formula once again Tuesday night as they seek their first four-game home win streak of the season.
Allen is 6-2-0 with a 1.62 goals-against average in his last eight starts and has yielded one goal in two against the Predators this season to improve to 3-0-0 as a starter against them.
St. Louis (22-12-4) features one of the league's best power plays at 20.9 percent and that unit has gone 3 for 5 in the season series. Vladimir Tarasenko, Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangelo all tallied with the man advantage.
The Blues tested themselves against one of the league's elite teams in a home-and-home set against Dallas over the weekend. They won 3-2 in a shootout at home Saturday before falling 3-0 the next night.
"(Saturday) I think we got what we deserved, we played really well, it was good we were able to get two points," defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. "(Sunday) we knew it was going to be a struggle for both teams and they just came out for whatever reason and got off to a better start and we didn't really respond the way we needed to."
Tarasenko had an eight-game streak in which he amassed 12 points snapped Sunday. He has seven points in a five-game run at home versus Nashville.
Allen made 22 saves to earn Saturday's win before Brian Elliott stopped 35 of 37 shots the next night when the Blues' No. 1 goalie rested.
"The part that disappoints everybody here," coach Ken Hitchcock said, "is (Elliott) battled like crazy, he made great saves, he kept us right there and we couldn't get a goal for him."
Nashville (18-12-6) completed a 3-1-0 homestand with Monday's 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Mike Ribeiro had one goal and seven assists in the four games, with three assists Monday.
"We're a team that responds pretty well against good teams so it's a matter of being focused every night," Ribeiro said.
James Neal scored twice and Filip Forsberg added a power-play goal to give him six points in a five-game run. Nashville converted both power-play chances and went 4 for 13 on the homestand.
"When our power play is scoring, it's usually a difference," center Mike Fisher said.
The Predators welcomed back Fisher from an 11-game absence due to a lower-body injury.
"Mike looked really good," coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's nice to have him back in there. He really provides a steadiness to our lineup."
Pekka Rinne made 26 saves. He has started both ends of a back-to-back once so Carter Hutton may get the nod Tuesday.
The Predators are beginning a three-game trip that include visits to Dallas and Carolina.
"We've got a tough three games coming up, two especially in our division that are huge," Fisher said."We've gotta get back at it tomorrow."
