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Lindback and Preds host Sharks

Dec 15, 2010 - 10:14 PM (Sports Network) - Thanks to lights-out play from rookie goaltender Anders Lindback, the Predators haven't missed a beat since No. 1 netminder Pekka Rinne went down with a knee injury.

Coming off a second straight shutout, Lindback and Rinne will try to extend an eight-game point streak this evening as they host the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena.

Lindback is 4-0-1 since Rinne's injury, which was expected to keep him out for 2-to-4 weeks when suffered on Dec. 1, and the Predators are 6-0-2 over their last eight games overall. They picked up a third straight victory on Monday with a 5-0 blanking of the Islanders.

Lindback, who made 22 saves versus Florida on Saturday for his first career shutout, turned aside all 28 shots fired his way by New York. The 22-year-old is 7-1-2 with a 2.18 goals-against average on the season.

"In the first period I thought we really left him out to dry -- especially early. We talked about getting off to a good start and we really didn't," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz. "We put him under siege a little more than we wanted to."

Patric Hornqvist scored a pair of goals, Sergei Kostitsyn notched a goal and an assist to give him two tallies and six helpers over a six-game point streak and center Nick Spaling notched the first goal of his NHL career in his 50th game.

Nashville, which has yet to win four straight games overall this season, has won four in a row at home, including the first two contests of a three-game homestand. It is 7-1-5 as the hosting club overall this year.

San Jose is 3-1-1 over its last five games and is coming off Monday's 3-2 shootout setback to Dallas.

Defenseman Derek Joslin notched his first NHL goal in his 47th career game and 11th this season, while Ryan Clowe also had a goal. Clowe has four goals and five assists over a five-game points streak, but just three assists without a tally in 12 career games against Nashville.

"We're always looking to be perfect and we're looking to win games, but when I look back on tonight I'd like to have the first 10 or 12 minutes back again. That was pretty evident," said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan afterwards. "We didn't have a lot of jump or fight in us early, but we found it and once we did we were very competitive against a competitive hockey club."

Antti Niemi made 29 saves in the loss.

The Sharks are 7-6-2 as the road club this season and have won four of their last six as the guest. Each of their next three games are away from San Jose.

The Sharks took three of four from the Predators a season ago and have won nine of the last 12 meetings overall. That includes four of the last six played in Nashville.