Preview: Coyotes at Predators

GAME 53:
Coyotes (23-24-5) at Predators (31-19-4)
Looking to sweep a three-game season series, Arizona will play the finale of a three-game trip at Nashville on Tuesday night.

WHERE:Bridgestone Arena | WHEN: 6 p.m. (AZ time) | TV:FOX Sports Arizona | RADIO:Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
ABOUT THE 'YOTES:
• Arizona will enter the game with 51 points, three behind Vancouver, which holds the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference standings with 30 games to play.
• The Coyotes won the first two games of the season series vs. the Predators; 2-1 at Glendale on Nov. 15, and 3-0 at Nashville on Nov. 29. Arizona/Phoenix has swept a season series from Nashville only once - a four-gamer in 2001-02.
"They're going to be ready for us," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said. "We have to play with a certain style and we have to be diligent in our own end, frustrate them and make sure that we do the smart things. I think that's the key for our team."

• Calvin Pickard will play his 100th NHL game and make his second start in goal for the Coyotes. He stopped 22 of 24 shots in a 2-1 loss at Montreal on Jan. 23 in his Arizona debut. Pickard is 0-3-0 in three appearances vs. Nashville with a 3.07 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in those games. All three of those games were contested at Pepsi Center when Pickard played for Colorado. He's never faced the Preds at Bridgestone Arena.
"It's always good to get a chance," Pickard said. "I thought it was a good start in Montreal, but the next day we went on a long break. Getting back, I've had some good practices the last few days and I've seen a couple games, so I'm just going to go do my thing and give my team a chance to win and try not to do too much."

• Alex Goligoski, who suffered an upper-body injury in Monday's game at Dallas, will be a game-time decision, per Tocchet. Kevin Connauton, who also suffered a lower-body injury on Monday, is questionable vs. Nashville, too.
• Kyle Capobianco likely will make his season debut and play his second NHL game. Capobianco, a two-time American Hockey League All-Star, last played in the NHL for the Coyotes on Dec. 7, 2017 at Boston.
"He's a very good skater, he can pass the puck and he's got a great shot," Tocchet said. "He has all the attributes of a good, puck-moving defenseman. He's just got to assert himself ... We want to see how he does up here, and we're excited to see him go in the lineup."
• The Coyotes on Tuesday recalled goalie Adin Hill and defenseman Dakota Mermis from the AHL for precautionary reasons. Hill is expected to be Pickard's backup on Tuesday, in place of Darcy Kuemper, who collided with Mattias Janmark during Monday's game.

• Arizona, which played at Dallas on Monday, is 3-3-0 in the second game of back-to-back games this season.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS:
• Nashville ranks fourth in the Western Conference with 66 points, but has lost three consecutive home games ... The Preds have allowed 138 goals; only three other teams have been stingier this season ... Viktor Arvidsson leads the Preds with 21 goals ... Ryan Johansen is Nashville's top point producer with 44, including a team-high 35 assists ... Kyle Turris could be back in the lineup after missing 16 games because of a lower-body injury ... Pekka Rinne is 18-9-2, including six shutouts, vs. the Coyotes ... Roman Josi has taken 187 shots on goal. That ranks second among NHL defensemen behind only San Jose's Brent Burns.