Pittsburgh @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 29, 2019 ) Nashville 3, Pittsburgh 1

The Nashville Predators are beginning to find their top form after a slow start to the season and look to validate the run again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home set. The Predators, who visit Pittsburgh on Saturday, have strung together a five-game point streak (4-0-1) after knocking off Arizona 3-2 on Monday at home.

“We’re definitely playing better,” Nashville captain Roman Josi told reporters after extending his goal streak to five games Monday in his 599th NHL contest. “We’re getting bounces, but looking back at the road trip (3-0-1), at the Islanders game (8-3 win), we were working hard. … As long as you put in the work, you’re going to get those bounces and those goals. Lately, we’ve been working a lot harder.” The Predators have earned at least a point in the last three meetings (2-0-1) with the Penguins, who had been on quite a roll themselves (7-1-0) before dropping a 4-1 decision at Vancouver on Saturday. “I just think we weren’t quite ready for the intensity of the game,” Pittsburgh forward Bryan Rust told reporters after the setback. “They’re a team that can skate, they got a lot of skill, they move the puck fast. I think we were just a step behind there in the first (period).” The Penguins can look forward to the return of captain Sidney Crosby (hernia) - likely next month - but until then fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin has recorded three goals and six assists in the past six contests.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (21-11-4): While Malkin has put together a six-game point streak, fellow forward Jake Guentzel is enjoying a productive first half of the season with 10 of his team-high 37 points in the last eight contests. Rust has also been a force up front with 25 points (13 goals) along with an impressive plus-14 rating in 22 games and fellow forward Jared McCann (21 points) is also making an impact in his first full season with Pittsburgh. Matt Murray took the loss in his first start in six games at Vancouver and will likely split the duties in the back-to-back with red-hot Tristan Jarry (11-5-0, 1.86 goals-against average, .939 save percentage).

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (18-12-6): Josi boasts seven goals during his streak, the longest for a defenseman within a regular season since Mike Green’s NHL record (eight) in 2008-2009, and leads the team with 35 points. “He’s always been an impactful player offensively,” coach Peter Laviolette told reporters of Josi. “Right now, he’s in a groove, and that’s good for us. He’s had such a strong start to the season. … There’s never a game where he doesn’t show up and punch his ticket.” Forward Filip Forsberg has three goals in his last four games and shares the team lead with Josi at 14 while defenseman Ryan Ellis is second in points with 28.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh D Kris Letang recorded nine of his 25 points in the last seven games and is three assists away from 400 in his career.

2. Nashville F Craig Smith has produced three goals and two assists in his last four contests.

3. Both teams are hoping for improved power plays as the Penguins sit 22nd and the Predators 25th in the league.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Penguins 3