Predators at Rangers preview

PREDATORS (4-2-1) at RANGERS (1-5-2)
12:30 p.m. ET; SN, MSG, FS-TN, NHL.TV

The Predators have won two straight and are 4-0-1 since starting the season with back-to-back regulation losses. They defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday and have allowed three goals in their past four games after allowing 13 in their first three.
The opposite is happening to the Rangers, who have lost five consecutive games (0-3-2), including four at home. They have allowed the first goal of the game five times, each within the first 5:29 of the first period and four times within the first 2:40.
The Rangers picked up a point in each of their past two games by coming back after trailing by two goals to force overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (5-4 loss) and the New York Islanders on Thursday (4-3 shootout loss).

Players to watch

Predators center Colton Sissons has goals in back-to-back games.
Rangers forward Rick Nash was turned aside on several Grade A chances in the shootout loss to the Islanders, including on a breakaway. He has one goal on 34 shots.

They said it

"Like [coach Alain Vigneault] told the group, we have two choices here: to feel sorry for ourselves or go out and really try to make the most of this situation. We get another opportunity [Saturday] to try to get that win." -- Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist
"Any time you are losing, inside of the locker room there is usually an attitude in there and meetings and everybody's just a little bit angrier, so we have to be ready for [the Rangers]. They are going to be ready to play some hockey." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Scott Hartnell -- Calle Jarnkrok -- Miikka Salomaki
Kevin Fiala -- Colton Sissons -- Craig Smith
Cody McLeod -- Frederick Gaudreau -- Austin Watson
Roman Josi -- Mattias Ekholm
Alexei Emelin -- P.K. Subban
Matt Irwin -- Yannick Weber
Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros
Scratched:Anthony Bitetto, Pontus Aberg, Samuel Girard
Injured:Nick Bonino (lower body), Ryan Ellis (knee)

Rangers projected lineup

Rick Nash -- Mika Zibanejad -- Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider -- David Desharnais -- J.T. Miller
Jimmy Vesey -- Kevin Hayes -- Jesper Fast
Michael Grabner -- Adam Cracknell -- Pavel Buchnevich
Ryan McDonagh -- Tony DeAngelo
Marc Staal -- Kevin Shattenkirk
Brady Skjei -- Brendan Smith
Henrik Lundqvist
Ondrej Pavelec
Scratched: Nick Holden, Steven Kampfer, Paul Carey
Injured: none

Status report

Weber practiced Friday and was activated from injured reserve. He missed the past three games with an upper-body injury. ... Bonino was placed on injured reserve. … The Rangers had the same lines and defense pairs in practice Friday as they used in the past two games.

Stat pack

The Rangers haven't started a season with one win in their first eight games since 1997-98, when they were 1-3-4. They had four points through eight games (2-6-0) to start the 2013-14 season, Vigneault's first in New York. They went to the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in five games.