Update: Mike Fisher, who has missed the last two games with an lower-body injury, returned to practice on Sunday, but is not expected to play tonight.
Here is a look at Nashville's projected lineup
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As the Predators look for their fourth consecutive win, here are three things to watch for:
"One Tough Road Trip"
Just as the Predators continue to push to secure their spot in the postseason, their opponent tonight - and on Tuesday as well - is just as desperate. The Islanders currently sit two points behind Boston for the final Wild Card spot in the East, and the Preds will face both of them over the next 48 hours. Nashville has been playing some of their best hockey of the season, and this short excursion should provide two of their toughest tests to date.
"In the area that we are in the standings, there is not a lot of losing going on, and we are just trying to keep pace right now," Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said after Saturday's win. "These games are important. We are headed out for one tough road trip right now, probably the toughest of the year. Seventy games ago, we weren't calling this the toughest road trip of the year, but based on where those two teams are at right now, we have our work cut out for us."
Instant Chemistry:
When Preds Captain Mike Fisher went down with a lower-body injury last week, Colton Sissons slid up to take his place between Colin Wilson and Craig Smith. All Sissons has done with the opportunity is score three goals in his last two games, a key element in Nashville's recent success.
Laviolette believes Sissons was already playing with an abundance of confidence before the move, and that level has risen tenfold in the recent period of time. If the trio remains intact, look to see if they can continue their hot streak.
One at a Time:
The Predators know where they are in the standings - it's not as if they don't look, especially at this time of the year - but they've put extra emphasis on facing things one day, one game at a time. After falling to Carolina roughly a week ago - a desperate team the Preds felt they may have underestimated - Nashville appears to have learned a lesson as evidenced by their last home stand.
Tonight in Brooklyn, the Predators will undoubtedly be facing a similar situation as the one in Raleigh, and if they want to extend their win streak, a nearly mistake-free outing will likely be needed.
Take It In:
Tonight's game from Barclays Center comes with a 6 p.m. CT puck drop, with pregame coverage beginning on Fox Sports Tennessee at 5:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network.
