PREDATORS (9-9-3) at BLUES (14-4-5) 8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, FS-MW, FS-TN, NHL.TV
The Predators are 0-5-1 in the past six games and have been outscored 31-14; they've lost four straight games in regulation. Goalie Juuse Saros will start for Nashville. Starter Pekka Rinne has been pulled in three of his past four starts. The Blues, who shut out the Calgary Flames 5-0 on Thursday, wrap up a four-game homestand in search of their 10th win in the past 13 games; they're are 9-1-2 the past 12. Blues forward Troy Brouwer was expected to make his St. Louis debut after he signed a one-year, $750,000 two-way contract on Wednesday but will be a healthy scratch for a second straight game because his visa/immigration paperwork still is not finalized.
Players to watch
Predators defenseman Roman Josi has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past 8 games. Blues forward Zach Sanford has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past three games.
They said it
"It's been something different every game. The target seems to be moving a little bit. When it happens, we address it and try to get better with what we're doing. There's some good things that we're doing and there are some things where we're shooting ourselves in the foot." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette "They're a high-scoring team 5-on-5, third in the league in goals-for. They're a good 5-on-5 team. They probably are looking at their goals-against aren't great. ... They're a good team. We all know that. They're just going through something right now." --Blues coach Craig Berube on the Predators
The Predators returned defenseman Steven Santini to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Friday and are expected to reinsert Irwin, a healthy scratch six of the past seven games, into the lineup. ... With Brouwer out, Kostin will play a fourth straight game.
Stat pack
Ellis will play in his 500th NHL game, Arvidsson will play in his 300th. ... Binnington is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .960 save percentage and one shutout in two games against the Predators.
