Both Nashville and Phoenix have six wins this season and are enduring historically bad starts for both frachises. However, if there is a bright spot for either team, it is in the goaltenders. Each goalie is boasting low goals-against averages. Nashville's Pekke Rinne as a 1.75 average along with a .934 save percentage in 11 games. Phoenix's Mike Smith has a 2.06 GAA in his past six games. Each offense will rely on them to help get the job done.
Nashville is coming off the worst offensive drought in club history. For 176 minutes and 18 seconds, the team went scoreless before Colin Wilson finally knocked in an overtime goal in the team's win Tuesday. Going up against Smith will be no easy task for a team struggling to get something moving on the offensive side of the puck. Rinne had had 25 saves in Tuesday's win, recording his second shutout in three starts. His ability to kill penalties is what will keep the Predators in this game. Nashville will be without their star forward Patric Hornqvist who went down with a knee injury.
Phoenix is coming off of back-to-back victories. Shane Doan is on a hot streak, scoring a pair of goals in the team's win Monday. Smith has a season-high 41 saves in that game. The first time Phoenix and Nashville met up this season, the Coyotes shutout the Predators 4-0 in a game. Smith could easily keep Nashville from scoring again in this matchup.
Phoenix and Nashville is a rematch of last season's Western Conference semifinals. Phoenix eliminated Nashville in five games.
