Nashville @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 23, 2019 ) Nashville 2, Vegas 1

The Vegas Golden Knights figured to have a tough time matching the success of their inaugural NHL season, when they made a stunning run to the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Washington Capitals. The Golden Knights will try to halt a three-game losing streak and reverse a pair of alarming trends when they host the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Vegas had its third straight third-period meltdown in Thursday's 6-3 loss to Toronto, which also marked a franchise-record five-game skid at home for a team that was dominant at T-Mobile Arena last season. "I can't worry about last year's team; I have to worry about this year and it's disappointing to lose at home," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. "I thought we (gave) away a couple at home, but for the most part we’ve played some good teams and they beat us." One of those teams Gallant referred to was Nashville, which posted a 2-1 victory at Vegas on Jan. 23 and also knocked off the visiting Golden Knights 4-1 on Oct. 30. The Predators ended a three-game slide with a 3-1 home win over Montreal on Thursday to move within two points of first place Winnipeg in the Central Division.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain (Las Vegas)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (34-21-5): Viktor Arvidsson continued his binge by scoring for the fourth time in three games to give him 12 goals in the last 13 contests, but he was more excited to see his newest teammate hit the scoresheet. Hulking forward Brian Boyle, acquired from New Jersey, scored against Montreal for his first point in five games with Nashville."He's a big body, and that's what he does," Arvidsson said of the 6-foot-6 Boyle. "He's great in front of the net. I think he's starting to learn the system, and it's still a process, but there's 20 games left so he can get even more into it, so that's great."

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (31-24-4): Vegas gave up two late goals to lose a lead in a 4-3 loss to Columbus last weekend before Arizona and Toronto each scored three unanswered third-period goals in its last two setbacks. "Obviously we're fragile right now but we still have to know we're in a hockey game there and were definitely in a position to try to win the game," forward Matt Pacioretty said after Toronto scored three times in the final 10 minutes. "That confidence wasn't there tonight and we've got to find it." William Karlsson scored his 18th goal Thursday but has tallied once in nine games versus Nashville.

OVERTIME

1. Predators C Ryan Johansen, who scored at Vegas last month, is riding a season-high six-game point streak.

2. Golden Knights G Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed 14 goals in dropping his last three starts.

3. Predators F Ryan Hartman ended a 27-game goal drought Thursday and scored twice against Vegas in October.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Golden Knights 2