Nashville @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 21, 2019 ) Pittsburgh 2, Nashville 1

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a bit of time to cool their jets after posting a 3-0-1 mark during a whirlwind four-game, eight-day road trip that briefly touched down in Music City. The well-rested Penguins begin a stretch of five games in nine days on Friday when they bid to complete a season sweep of the visiting Nashville Predators.

Matt Murray followed up back-to-back shutouts versus Nashville to conclude the 2017 Stanley Cup Final by improving his regular-season mark against the club to 3-0-0 with an 0.97 goals-against average and .968 save percentage with another sterling performance last week. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender made 28 saves in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Predators on March 21 and defeated Dallas and the New York Rangers to up his mark to 12-3-4 since Feb. 11. While Pittsburgh sits two points behind the second-place New York Islanders and is on the verge of clinching its 13th consecutive postseason appearance, Nashville has already punched its ticket for a franchise-best fifth straight playoff berth and trails first-place Winnipeg by two points. "It's a great accomplishment, and it's something to be very proud of, but at the same time, we have a goal in mind and there's a lot of work ahead still," said Predators forward Ryan Johansen, who scored a short-handed goal in the first period of Monday's 1-0 victory over Minnesota.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVAS, FS Tennessee (Nashville), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (43-28-6): Viktor Arvidsson, who set up Johansen's tally versus the Wild, leads the team with 31 goals this season -- although he has been stuck on 99 for his career over the last four games. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm also picked up an assist to boost his total to 35 on the season, although he has just two points in his last 16 games. Reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne, who has served as the last line of defense in Nashville since being drafted in 2004, was brilliant against Pittsburgh by turning aside 32 shots before seeing the bottom fall out with five goals on 43 shots in Saturday's 5-0 setback at Winnipeg.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (42-24-11): Defenseman Olli Maatta has been practicing in a full capacity and could draw back into the lineup on Friday after a 20-game absence due to an upper-body injury. "Olli had a strong practice today," coach Mike Sullivan said on Thursday of the 24-year-old Maatta. "Full contact. We'll see how he responds but I would envision him being a game-time decision tomorrow." Fellow blue-liner Kris Letang, who set up Bryan Rust's second-period goal versus Nashville, is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury while former Hart Trophy recipient Evgeni Malkin has missed five straight games with the same ailment.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville C Craig Smith is one goal shy of reaching 20 for the fifth time in six seasons.

2. Penguins superstar captain Sidney Crosby, who scored the decisive goal in the shootout against the Predators, has just two points (both assists) and a minus-4 rating in his last six games.

3. Nashville D Ryan Ellis' lone goal in his last 22 contests came against Pittsburgh.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Penguins 2