Asuna
Lvl 94 Sub-Leader
PREDATORS (39-25-13) at PENGUINS (43-25-8)
TV: 7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVA Sports, SNO, SNW, SNP, FS-TN, ROOT
Season series: The Pittsburgh Penguins won 2-1 in overtime at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 24. Nashville Predators forward James Neal scored against his former team 11:27 into the third period before Penguins forward Phil Kessel scored 41 seconds into overtime.
Predators team scope: After failing to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of its past two games, Nashville will have a third chance to do so Thursday. The Predators hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference, nine points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, who are chasing the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card. After losing 4-3 to Colorado and 5-2 to the Dallas Stars on consecutive nights, Nashville had a day off Wednesday before traveling to Pittsburgh. "We've had two games here where we had a chance to clinch a playoff spot and couldn't do it," goalie Pekka Rinne said, "so we just have to go to Pittsburgh and hopefully get it done over there." The Predators lost defenseman Ryan Ellis during the second period of their loss to the Stars on Tuesday. Ellis exited after absorbing a blow to the left side of his head from Dallas forward Patrick Eaves. Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said Ellis would be re-evaluated Wednesday. The Predators recalled defenseman Stefan Elliott from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
Penguins team scope: Pittsburgh will have an opportunity to overtake the New York Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan Division if it defeats Nashville and New York loses to the Carolina Hurricanes in regulation. With the exception of their power play, the Penguins have impressed in nearly every facet while winning nine of their past 10 games. Recent power-play struggles continued during a 5-4 shootout win against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, when it went 0-for-3 and allowed a shorthanded goal. The Penguins moved forward Beau Bennett and defenseman Justin Schultz onto the top unit entering the game Tuesday, but that seemed to be scrapped during practice Wednesday. Bennett and Schultz were moved off of the top unit that included forwards Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz with defensemen Kris Letang and Trevor Daley. Forward Evgeni Malkin (upper body) skated on his own before the Wednesday practice, but Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Malkin's recovery time frame of 6-8 weeks from the date of his March 11 injury has not changed. "To try to keep him in his best skating shape and conditioning is important for his return," Sullivan said. "So that's part of the process, but there's no change." Sullivan also said forward Bryan Rust is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will not play.
Go Pens!
