[8:00 PM] Penguins @ Predators

Who will WIN this matchup?

Pittsburgh Penguins (3-1-1)

@ Nashville Predators (1-3-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Marc-Andre Fleury(PIT): Likely

Pekka Rinne(NSH): Unconfirmed

 

Current odds:

Pittsburgh Penguins: (-110)

Nashville Predators: (-110)

 

• The Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with plenty of adversity due to injuries in the early going, but it has yet to show in their record as they prepare to visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The Penguins have been without captain Sidney Crosby (concussion) throughout, top defenseman Kris Letang (upper body) is day-to-day and they finished Thursday’s 3-2 comeback victory over San Jose with only four healthy blue-liners.

• Pittsburgh placed Derrick Pouliot (undisclosed) on injured reserve after Thursday’s game and recalled fellow defenseman David Warsofsky, while blue-liner Olli Maatta is expected to play after missing the third period against San Jose. The Penguins also were without forward Conor Sheary on Thursday due to an eye injury and still are looking for the first point this season from Carl Hagelin. Malkin leads the team with five points and Marc-Andre Fleury has been solid in net with a .920 save percentage while playing in all five games.

• Coach Peter Laviolette rearranged his top six forwards Friday, putting Johansen between Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal with Mike Ribeiro centering Smith and Filip Forsberg, but illness changed the plans. Captain Mike Fisher notched his team-leading third goal at Detroit while defenseman P.K. Subban and Ribeiro also cashed in on the power play. Pekka Rinne, who faced a season-high 43 shots on Friday, could get a start in the back-to-back with four days afterward until a stretch of three games in four days for the Predators.

• The Penguins have won seven of the last eight meetings, including both matchups in 2015-16.

• Nashville’s 20-year-old rookie F Kevin Fiala has yet to get on the scoresheet in four games and was held without a shot Friday.

• Pittsburgh’s fourth-line C Matt Cullen, who spent two seasons with Nashville before coming to the Penguins, has notched four points in five games

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Nashville Predators

Confidence: 5/10

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