The Jets (37-22-4), who are one point behind the Predators with three games in hand, went 4-6-2 in February and are coming off a 3-2 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
The intensity and quality of the rivalry between the Predators and Jets, who split the first two games this season in Nashville, hit an all-time high last season. Nashville won the division and the Presidents' Trophy with 117 points. Winnipeg was second in the Central and the NHL with 114 points. They faced off in the Western Conference Second Round with Winnipeg winning the series, including Game 7 in Nashville.
The race is tight again with each team focused not just on making the Stanley Cup Playoffs but winning the Central.
"I think it's really important," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "Obviously, there's been some division games that have gotten away from us. We talk about the division all the time. So those division games really have a heavy swing, and we've let a couple go by here."
Starting Friday, Nashville's next three games are against division opponents, with a home-and-home against the Wild on Sunday and Tuesday.
"Obviously, this is a big one coming up (Friday)," Laviolette said. "They're a terrific team."
Defenseman Roman Josi, who is second on the Predators with 51 points (14 goals, 37 assists), two behind forward Ryan Johansen, said he expects another tight game against the Jets.
"I think every time we play in Winnipeg it's a really tough game, a tough building to play in," Josi said. "It's a tight race in the standings, so it's going to be a huge game for us."
Seven of the Jets' next eight games are against teams that were holding playoff spots as of Thursday, an assignment that Winnipeg forward Bryan Little likes.
"The teams that we're playing [next], it's going to be better for us playing against some real good teams, challenging teams, just to get our minds right before playoffs start," Little said. "We've been in a pretty comfortable spot in the standings most of the year and we worked hard to get there.
"And I think we've been playing some teams that are just fighting for their lives and those games can be really dangerous because you're getting the other team's absolute best game. We're just a little slower, behind in getting our game up to where it needs to be. And it's not for lack of trying. We're still working on it. But I don't think anyone in this room is worried or scared. We know we can get to the level we need to."
Jets defenseman Tyler Myers said he welcomes the focus a game against the Predators demands, something that will be required for games in March and beyond.
"Both of us are right at the top of the standings in the division," Myers said. "We have a chance to get back on track against a good team. We expect a playoff-style game tomorrow night. Both teams are fresh off the deadline, have some new guys in the lineup.
"We've had some good battles with this team the last couple of years. We had a really good series against each other in playoffs last year. And we expect that kind of atmosphere, that both teams will bring their best."
NHL.com correspondent Robby Stanley contributed to this report
