Two games in two nights between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild start tonight in St. Paul (at 7 p.m. CT on NBCSN).
Nashville (22-9-5) visits Minnesota for the second time on Friday evening; the Predators let a 3-0 lead slip away in a 6-4 loss to the Wild on Nov. 16. The Predators sit atop the Central Division and eight points up on the Wild following a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
The Wild (19-15-3) won their most recent contest, 4-2, over the Dallas Stars, and hold a one-point lead on the Calgary Flames for the Western Conference's final playoff spot.
The Preds held a full morning skate on Friday and were joined by Ryan Ellis (non-roster injury). Below is a projected lineup based on the session:
Projected Lineup: Predators at Wild
Miikka Salomaki Could Re-Enter Lineup as Predators Start Back-to-Back
© Bruce Kluckhohn