Predators at Maple Leafs preview

PREDATORS (32-12-7) at MAPLE LEAFS (31-19-5)
7:30 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, SN, FS-TN, NHL.TV

Rinne is 8-0-0 with a 1.85 goals-against average, .932 save percentage and two shutouts in his past eight starts.
The Predators have won three in a row and are 9-1-1 in their past 11 games after going 2-4-2 in their previous eight.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen will start for the Maple Leafs. He left with 6:15 remaining in the second period of a 7-4 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday when he was kicked in the head by Ducks forward Corey Perry.

Players to watch

Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson has four points (two goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak and has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past eight games.
Maple Leafs forward William Nylander scored twice, including the game-winning goal, against the Ducks. He has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past seven games.

They said it

"The last three or four games we've played very, very well. Outshot teams, outchanced and outworked them. I think that's been one of the most noticeable things in our game." -- Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne
"They're a team we only play twice a year and we haven't played them yet. There are lots of guys on their back end that we know and some really good talent up front, so it's a good challenge for us. They play hard, a lot like the Anaheim Ducks in the sense that they're big and physical." - Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly

Predators projected lineup

Pontus Aberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Kyle Turris -- Craig Smith
Scott Hartnell -- Nick Bonino -- Calle Jarnkrok
Miikka Salomaki -- Colton Sissons -- Austin Watson
Roman Josi -- Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm -- P.K. Subban
Alexei Emelin -- Yannick Weber
Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros
Scratched: Anthony Bitetto, Matt Irwin
Injured:None
Suspended:Filip Forsberg

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander
Patrick Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Mitchell Marner
James van Riemsdyk -- Tyler Bozak -- Connor Brown
Leo Komarov -- Dominic Moore -- Kasperi Kapanen
Morgan Rielly -- Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner -- Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott -- Roman Polak
Frederik Andersen
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Matt Martin, Josh Leivo, Connor Carrick
Injured: Nikita Soshnikov (lower body)

Status report

Fiala did not participate in the morning skate and was replaced by Bitetto, a defenseman. Predators coach Peter Laviolette said he had nothing to report regarding Fiala's absence or his status for the game.

Stat pack

Subban has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past seven games. … Kadri has eight points (three goals, five assists) during a six-game point streak.