Goaltender Carter Hutton is 0-2-1 against the Predators in five career appearances and three starts. All three of those starts came against Pekka Rinne, who could be in net for the Predators tonight.
Hutton, Buffalo's expected starter tonight, served as Rinne's backup for three seasons in Nashville and developed a close relationship with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.
Hutton is trying to pass on some of the lessons he learned over the years onto Linus Ullmark, who is in the midst of his first full NHL season.
"Every day come to work and do what you need to do and take care of business. But at the same time, being a good person," Hutton said. "For me, a lot of times in this position and this world, everybody wants to undermine everybody to get ahead and it doesn't get you anywhere. I think you've just got to do the right things and be a good person. The rest takes care of itself."
Housley is also familiar with the Predators organization and their style of play, having served as an assistant coach there for four seasons. Even with Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg, Kyle Turris and P.K. Subban out due to injury, he knows it's going to be a difficult test.
"The work part of it is going to be important tonight. This is a team that's banged up but they have a good, hard work ethic and we're going to have to match that or be better," Housley said. "I think getting off to a better start - we've talked about it before - but we're really going to have to focus on that and our execution because they will try to establish their forecheck and try to hem you in and build some momentum off that. So we've got try to steal that from them."
It's no secret that the atmosphere in Bridgestone Arena favors the home team. A players poll conducted by NHL.com this fall ranked it the hardest building to play in.
"This is a rink that when they start buzzing you, it seems like it closes in on you," Hutton said. "They do a good job feeding off the crowd so it's something we have to be prepared for tonight."