Nashville @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2018 ) Boston 0, Nashville 1

The Boston Bruins could have a key player back in the lineup on Saturday afternoon as they seek their third consecutive victory when they host the road-challenged Nashville Predators. Patrice Bergeron, who has missed 16 games with rib and shoulder injuries, has had three straight days of practice and will be a game-time decision.

The 33-year-old Bergeron had his five-game point streak (two goals, five assists) snapped at Dallas on Nov. 16, when he suffered his injuries, and is two goals away from 300 for his career. The four-time Selke Trophy winner's return likely would be bad news for Nashville, which has gone 0-7-2 in nine road games since recording an overtime victory at Dallas on Nov. 10. The Predators are wrapping up a four-game trek during which they fell to 0-2-1 after being edged 2-1 in Philadelphia on Thursday. Nashville has produced just one goal in each of its last two contests and more than three just once in its last nine.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, Sportsnet One, FS Tennessee (Nashville), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (22-12-2): Nick Bonino scored on Thursday for just the second time in 11 games, leaving him seven goals shy of 100 for his career. Colton Sissons, who missed the loss to Philadelphia with a lower-body injury, was placed on injured reserve on Friday. The 25-year-old was kept off the scoresheet in each of his last three contests after registering three goals and three assists during a four-game point streak.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (19-12-4): David Krejci's goal in Thursday's 3-1 win over Anaheim was his third in four games and represented his 600th point in the NHL. The 32-year-old Czech is riding an eight-game point streak during which he has collected five tallies and six assists. David Backes notched his 300th career assist in the triumph over the Ducks and defenseman Torey Krug recorded his 200th while David Pastrnak scored a goal and set up two others, giving him five tallies and 14 assists over his last 14 contests.

OVERTIME

1. The loss to Philadelphia was the Predators' first in regulation against an Eastern Conference team this season (10-1-1).

2. Boston G Jaroslav Halak will make his third straight start on Saturday while Tuukka Rask is expected to be in the crease the following day at Carolina.

3. Nashville D P.K. Subban (upper body) and RW Viktor Arvidsson (thumb) both have been practicing but have yet to be activated from injured reserve.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Predators 2