Dallas @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 27, 2018 ) Dallas 2, Nashville 0

The Nashville Predators didn't let their combined NHLPA-mandated bye/All-Star break bother them and will try for their fourth straight victory when they host the Dallas Stars on Saturday in the first of three meetings between the Central Division rivals in 19 days. Nashville rolled to a 4-1 win at Florida on Friday, pulling within two points of first-place Winnipeg, while Dallas also is riding a three-game winning streak after Friday's 3-1 triumph over Minnesota.

"We want to start the second half the right way, just like everybody else does," Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban told reporters on Thursday. "The standings are close pretty much in every division, every conference. I think how guys start - definitely after the break - is definitely going to be a big difference." The Predators' eight-day layoff did nothing to wake up the power play as the unit went 0-for-2 on Friday and is 0-for-27 in its last eight games, falling to last in the league at 12.99 percent with Montreal at 13.04. The Stars had their legs Friday after defeating Buffalo 1-0 two days earlier, leapfrogging the Wild and moving into third place in the Central - 10 points behind Nashville. The clubs split the first two of their five meetings this season, with the road team winning each time as Anton Khudobin - who likely will be in the crease on Saturday - made a career-high 49 saves in Dallas' 2-0 victory on Dec. 27.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest Plus (Dallas), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE STARS (26-21-4): Tyler Seguin scored twice on Friday, giving him team highs of 20 goals and 47 points with four multi-goal performances in his last 11 contests. Andrew Cogliano recorded his first points with Dallas - a goal and an assist - in his fifth game since being acquired from Anaheim on Jan. 14. Alexander Radulov, who is second on the club with 41 points, has notched only two in his last seven games after recording eight in his previous four contests.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (31-18-4): Viktor Arvidsson scored his team-leading 20th and 21st goals on Friday and has recorded 12 since the calendar flipped to January. Filip Forsberg (32 points) notched three assists versus Florida for his eighth multi-point effort of the season and third in the last nine contests. Pekka Rinne (18-12-3, 2.47 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) is expected to play against Dallas after Juuse Saros made 27 saves Friday.

OVERTIME

1. Stars C Jason Dickinson (five goals, 11 points in 37 games) is expected to miss his second straight game after leaving Wednesday's contest with a lower-body injury.

2. Subban has recorded only one point in his last eight games and is five shy of 400 for his career.

3. Dallas is 1-6-0 in the second half of back-to-back sets this season while Nashville is 3-2-1.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Stars 2