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Predators continue playoff push vs. Kings

Mar 28, 2009 - 6:00 AM By Dan Pieringer Stats Writer

Los Angeles (31-33-10) at Nashville (36-30-8) 6:00 pm. EDT

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- The Nashville Predators know points are at a premium with only eight games left to make their push for the playoffs. Leaving points on the table during a streak of three straight non-regulation losses wasn't helping their cause.

After snapping that skid by defeating one of the NHL's top teams, the Predators look to record a point in their seventh straight game and complete their first season series sweep of the Los Angeles Kings when the clubs square off Saturday night at the Sommet Center.

Nashville (36-30-8) has gone 16-7-5 since the All-Star break to pull into contention in the tightly packed Western Conference playoff race.

That crowded postseason chase makes the Predators' recent missed opportunities particularly costly. They fell 4-3 in overtime at Anaheim on March 18, 3-2 in a shootout at San Jose the next day and 2-1 in a shootout at home against the Ducks on Tuesday night.

Nashville, though, ended that stretch with a 3-2 home victory over the Pacific Division-leading Sharks on Thursday night.

"Everybody talks about having the opportunities and just embracing the opportunities," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "We are pretty close to the finish line and there is no reason to make any excuses."

Six Nashville players recorded at least one point as the Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit Thursday. Radek Bonk got a power-play goal to open the team's scoring at 7:34 of the second period, Martin Erat scored less than two minutes later and Bonk assisted on Greg Zanon's game-winner at 10:12 of the second.

"Playing as a team is how we are going to win," Trotz said. "It is not going to be one individual putting us on his back. It's going to be what you saw tonight with all of our guys pulling together with all they have."

Trotz has to like the way his team has played against Los Angeles (31-33-10) this season. The Predators have averaged 4.0 goals in winning the first three meetings, most recently 4-3 on the road March 16. Nashville took its only previous home game against Los Angeles 5-4 on Oct. 25.

Despite their struggles against the Predators and the fact they're in 13th place in the West, the Kings haven't given up on being a factor in the playoff race down the stretch.

They snapped a three-game losing streak on Justin Williams' third-round shootout goal in a 1-0 win at Dallas on Thursday night, improving to 2-3-0 in the first five games of a season-high six-game road trip.

Williams, who's played only four games with Los Angeles since he was acquired from Carolina early this month, thinks the Kings will need to solve the Predators to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"We can't lose a game," he said. "We know we have to win out to have a chance."

Kings goaltender Jon Quick, who's likely to start Saturday, has never faced the Predators, while Nashville's Pekka Rinne gave up three goals in last week's win in Los Angeles - his first career game against the Kings.

Nashville right wing J.P. Dumont has seven goals and nine assists in his last 11 games against Los Angeles, including two goals and three assists in three meetings this season.