Final - OT
Sliding Preds visit Coyotes
Mar 9, 2015 - 3:27 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - All of a sudden, the Nashville Predators are a struggling team searching for answers.The sliding Central Division leaders hope to find the solution to their problems in the desert, as they attempt to snap a six-game losing streak in Monday's meeting with the lowly Arizona Coyotes.
Nashville's current 0-6-0 drought is easily the club's longest slide of the season as the Predators hadn't gone two straight games without a point before this skid. The team lost consecutive tilts for the first time this season on Jan. 17 and 20 against Detroit and Montreal.
The drought has cost Peter Laviolette's club a hold on the NHL's best record and it also has seen its lead over St. Louis for the division lead slip to two points. The Blues hold two games in hand over Nashville and are idle tonight.
The Preds are hoping tonight's meeting with the Coyotes can help them return to the win column for the first time since beating Colorado on Feb. 24. Arizona is only two points ahead of Edmonton, the last place club in the Western Conference, and the Coyotes have lost 11 of their last 12 games.
Nashville has won four straight meetings with Arizona and is 4-1-1 in its last six trips to Gila River Arena.
The Predators' last setback came Saturday against visiting Winnipeg. The Jets recorded a 3-1 win at Bridgestone Arena, with both Drew Stafford and Blake Wheeler posting a goal and an assist for the visitors.
Ryan Ellis scored the lone goal for Nashville and Pekka Rinne absorbed the loss after allowing two goals on 25 shots.
"It's very frustrating," said Ellis. "It took us a while to lose just two in a row, and now we're six in the hole."
James Neal is one player who is struggling for Nashville at the moment. The winger hasn't registered a single point over the last nine games and is a minus-six during that stretch. Neal has six goals and five assists over 20 career games against the Coyotes.
Rinne, who has been in net for five of Nashville's losses during this skid, is expected to start tonight. He is 12-6-1 with a 2.05 goals against average in 20 lifetime games against Arizona.
The Coyotes had lost 10 straight -- all in regulation -- before beating the visiting Canucks, 3-2, in a shootout on Thursday. However, Arizona was back on the losing end Saturday, dropping a 2-0 home decision versus the Montreal Canadiens.
Arizona fired 29 shots at Carey Price, but the Habs goaltender stopped every one for his seventh shutout of the season. Price improved to 7-0-0 in his career against the Coyotes.
Mike Smith, meanwhile, made 33 saves in his eighth straight start for the Coyotes.
"We couldn't find the one to get us back in the game," Arizona head coach Dave Tippett said. "We didn't execute as well as I thought we could've."
Smith is 3-5-1 with a 3.05 GAA in his career against Nashville.
The Coyotes are playing the fourth part of a six-game homestand tonight. They are just 10-18-4 as the host this season.
- NASHVILLE: 2
ARIZONA: 1
Final - OT
Mar 10 12:46 AM - NASHVILLE: 2
ARIZONA: 1
End of OT
Mar 10 12:45 AM - NASHVILLE: 1
ARIZONA: 1
End of Regulation
Mar 10 12:38 AM - NASHVILLE: 1
ARIZONA: 0
End of 2nd
Mar 9 11:43 PM - NASHVILLE: 0
ARIZONA: 0
End of 1st
Mar 9 10:46 PM - NASHVILLE: 0
ARIZONA: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Mar 9 10:09 PM
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