Pittsburgh
3rd Metropolitan44-26-9-3
Nashville
1st Central47-29-4-2
ATTSN, FS
Pittsburgh @ Nashville preview
Bridgestone Arena
Last Meeting ( Nov 11, 2017 ) Pittsburgh 4, Nashville 5
Matt Murray has been in net during the Pittsburgh Penguins' last three losses (0-1-2), although he turned aside 73 of 77 shots in the last two. Murray has been even stingier in his last three meetings with the Nashville Predators, to the tune of registering three straight shutouts heading into Thursday's tilt in Music City.
Murray's shutout streak totals 206 minutes, 26 seconds and dates back to Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. Pittsburgh still has some work to do if it wishes to punch its ticket for a 13th consecutive postseason appearance, as its 3-2 shootout loss to Carolina on Tuesday put the third-place Penguins just two points ahead of the Hurricanes. Nashville has won three in a row and five of seven to remain on the heels of first-place Winnipeg in the Central Division. "You can sense that in the locker room the confidence is getting higher and it's a funny thing how it goes. But it's the best thing in the world winning some games in a row," reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne said after turning aside all 22 shots he faced in Tuesday's 3-0 triumph over Toronto.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, FS Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (39-24-11): Defenseman Kris Letang made an immediate contribution after missing 11 games due to an upper-body injury, scoring in the third period to record his career high-tying 16th goal. Jake Guentzel collected a goal and an assist to reach the 70-point plateau, joining superstar captain Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and James Neal as the lone Penguins to accomplish the feat in the last 10 years. Crosby recorded his club-best 60th assist on Guentzel's team-leading 37th goal, marking the sixth time that he has set up at least 60 tallies in a season.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (42-27-5): Ryan Johansen set up a pair of goals versus the Maple Leafs to run his assist streak to five games and push his assist total to a career-high 49 on the season. Rugged Wayne Simmonds scored his first goal with his new team since being traded from Philadelphia on Feb. 25. "I thought I was never going to score again," the 30-year-old Simmonds said. "No, it went in the net. I think most importantly we got the two points and we played really well as a team. A strong, 60-minute effort."
OVERTIME
1. Nashville RW Viktor Arvidsson set up a goal on Tuesday to give him eight points (five goals, three assists) in eight games this month after being limited to just one in his previous six contests.
2. Former Predators F Patric Hornqvist has just two points (one goal, one assist) in his last seven contests.
3. Nashville F Filip Forsberg has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his last seven games.
PREDICTION: Predators 3, Penguins 2