Calgary @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 8, 2018 ) Nashville 2, Calgary 5

The Nashville Predators have been near untouchable at home this season, posting back-to-back shutouts to improve to 6-1-1 at Bridgestone Arena. The surging Predators vie to extending their overall winning streak to five games on Thursday when they host the Calgary Flames, who have lost six of eight (2-5-1) away from Scotiabank Saddledome.

Pekka Rinne, who sports a 7-0-1 record this season, turned aside all 20 shots he faced for his second straight shutout and 57th career in Nashville's 3-0 victory over Chicago on Tuesday. "We played extremely well throughout the game. We didn't have any lapses, just kept going and generating more and more. For me personally, it was for sure one of the easier shutouts," said Rinne, who owns a 7-8-5 mark with two shutouts in 25 career encounters with Calgary. The Flames answered their 2-1 setback to Winnipeg in the Heritage Classic on Saturday with another loss by the same score three nights later to Carolina. Former Hurricanes forward Elias Lindholm scored in both games to boost his team-leading goal total to eight while extending his point streak to four games (three goals, one assist).

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVAS (Calgary), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (6-6-2): Calgary's inability to hold a one-goal lead in the third period of back-to-back games has been underscored by the team mustering all of seven shots in the final 20 minutes over the last two contests. "It's frustrating, the way they both went down. When you score one, every mistake gets magnified," Flames captain Mark Giordano told the Calgary Sun. The reigning Norris Trophy recipient had a pair of assists in the Flames' 5-3 setback to the Predators on Oct. 19, 2018.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (8-3-1): Nick Bonino scored three goals in a game for the third time in his career after he recorded a natural hat trick on Tuesday, with linemates Rocco Grimaldi and Craig Smith adding three and two assists, respectively. "The very first shift that (the members of the line) got on the ice, they were relentless in the offensive zone," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "They dogged pucks all night long and broke up plays. When the puck was up for grabs, they won the battles and then they moved it efficiently in the offensive zone and brought pucks to the net." Bonino, who leads the team with six goals this season, was held off the scoresheet in all three encounters with Calgary in 2018-19.

OVERTIME

1. Calgary traditionally has made itself at home in Music City, winning seven of its last eight games at Bridgestone Arena.

2. Nashville captain Roman Josi, who signed an eight-year, $72.472 million contract on Tuesday, has three goals and four assists in his last five games.

3. The Flames had been whistled for an NHL-high 59 minor penalties entering play on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Predators 2