Gameday: WIld vs. Nashville

Last update: February 16, 2008 - 10:47 PM

Preview: Which Nashville team will the Wild see tonight? The one that recently beat Detroit, or the one that was pasted by Chicago in its next game? This will be the fourth and final meeting for the Wild against Nashville, which was clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference entering its home game with St. Louis on Saturday night. The Wild is 2-1-0 vs. Nashville this season.

Players to watch: Jason Arnott leads the Predators in all-time scoring vs. the Wild, with 16 points in 21 games. Martin Erat has three points in three games vs. the Wild this season and has 14 in 19 games in his career. For the Wild, Brent Burns has three points in three games vs. Nashville this season.

Numbers: Arnott, the Nashville captain, has hit the 20-goal mark for the ninth consecutive season and for the 11th time in 14 seasons. He did it Thursday, collecting his 750th career point. Nashville is second best in the league at home (18-9-3) but only 25th on the road (12-14-3). The Predators rank third in the league in road penalty killing (86.9 percent), which will make it that much more difficult for the Wild to break out of its power-play slump.

Injuries: Wild D Kurtis Foster left practice Saturday after being hit in the nose with a puck, but he returned. RW Brian Rolston (illness) missed practice and will be reevaluated today. For Nashville, RWs Steve Sullivan (back surgery) and Jordin Tootoo (groin) are on injured reserve.

KENT YOUNGBLOOD

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