Game Day Notes: @ Nashville

Update (2:00 PM): Looks like I was right about Franzen (out a few more), but wrong about Osgood (riding the pine again). (Khan)  – Matt

… This is just the second of six meetings with the Predators this season. Nashville leads the series 1-0 after winning the December 26th meeting. 

We’ll see the Preds twice more this month and then once in both March and April. 

… Nashville is 4-1-0 in February, with their only loss this month coming in their most recent game, a road affair in Dallas. Prior to that, they beat Edmonton (2-1), Phoenix (2-1), Anaheim (4-2), and Minnesota (2-0). 

… At the moment, they stand at 12th in the Conference, just three points behind 8th place Vancouver. 

… Wade Belak (shoulder) and Jordin Tootoo (hand) are listed as questionable. Alexander Sulzer (shoulder) and Scott Nichol (concussion) are out. 

… The Preds got noted Red Wings killer Steve Sullivan (33 points in 47 career games vs. Detroit) back in the lineup just after the New Year. Unfortunately for them, he’s notched just 3 points in 12 games and is minus-5. He’ll likely look to jump start his shortened season with a strong effort against one of his favorite victim teams tonight. 

… Jason Arnott is the team’s hot stick with a four game, four goal streak going. 

… Dan Ellis has started the team’s last two games, but should sit in favor of Pekka Rinne. Rinne is 14-8-0 this season with four shutouts and a .920 save-percentage. 

… George Malik scouts the Predators here.  

… The Wings, winners of their last four, stand two points behind San Jose. The Sharks, however, have three games in hand, so tying them in points won’t be enough to pull ahead. 

… Don’t expect much to change in the way of lineups tonight. Johan Franzen is day-to-day with a bruised hand, but doesn’t need to rush back. Tomas Holmstrom (hernia) is scheduled to have surgery in Philadelphia tomorrow. Brad Stuart (ribs/spine) remains well out of the lineup, and Derek Meech (groin) seems to be dealing with injury still. 

… Projected lines, pairings:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Cleary
Hossa-Filppula-Leino
Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson
Maltby-Draper-Kopecky

Lidstrom-Kronwall
Rafalski-Lilja
Chelios-Lebda

… Mike Babcock hasn’t tipped his hand on the starter, but I’m guessing Chris Osgood gets a chance to make good on his words after Ty Conklin got two consecutive starts this weekend. 

… One of the reasons for the Wings’ recent success is the improvement of their penalty kill. They’re facing the 29th-ranked power play in the League tonight, so killing penalties shouldn’t be an issue. If it is, however, you know they have more work to do. 

… This should ben an interesing one. The Predators are 25-25-3 on the season, but have been improving lately and are looking to secure a playoff spot if at all possible. They generally managed to get up to play the Wings, so they should be at their best tonight.

The Wings, on the other hand, have to maintain focus as they hit a patch of scheduling that includes a lot of games over a relatively short span. If they can pick up where they left off on Sunday, they should be in good shape.