Nashville Predators visit Edmonton Oilers Sunday

March 17, 2013 |

Nashville Predators vs. Edmonton Oilers

Sunday, March 17th, 2013 | 7:00pm (CT)
Edmonton, Alberta | Rexall Place

Nashville, TN – The Nashville Predators are in desperate need of a win and hope it comes at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. The two teams meet at 7:00pm CT at Rexall Place Sunday night.

Last time out, Nashville was pounded by the Calgary Flames, 6-3 on Friday night.

Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59). (Randy Sartin – USA TODAY Sports)

Craig Smith appeared in his 100th career NHL game. He has seven points (3g-4a) in his last 13 after recording one point/assist in his first 15 games of 2012-13.

Nashville Predators Forward Rich Clune

Chris Mueller made his season debut after being recalled from Milwaukee on Wednesday. Rich Clune finished with a minus rating (-1) for just the third time in his career. Clune ranks among the League’s Top 20 in hits (76), and is tied for fourth in the NHL in fighting majors (7).

Nashville found the back of the net in the second and third periods, meaning it has scored in nine of its last 10 regulation frames played. The Predators were outshot 22-20. They are now 7-7-4 when being outshot.

The Predators were shorthanded three times. They rank among the League’s Top 10 in fewest times shorthanded (93), and have posted the third-fewest penalty minutes per game in the League this season (10.8). The Predators led the League in the category in 2011-12 (8.4) and 2009-10 (8.7), and ranked second in 2010-11 (8.8).

Nashville went one-for-two on the power play on Friday at Calgary, and is now 6-for-16 (37.5 percent) in its last five games after going 1-for-14 in the six games prior. The recent hot stretch has elevated the power play into the top half of the NHL.

Nashville Predators Colin Wilson

The Nashville Predators visit Edmonton Oilers for the only time this season on Sunday, the second of three games between the Predators and Oilers in 2012-13; they will play again eight days from now in Nashville.

In the season opener of the series on March 8th, the Predators received a career-best four points (2g-2a) from Colin Wilson and a 24-save shutout from Pekka Rinne in a 6-0 victory at Bridgestone Arena. It was Nashville’s largest margin of victory since Feb. 28th, 2009 vs. Detroit (8-0).

Since the start of the 2006-07 season, Nashville is 18-6-1 against Edmonton, including a 9-2-1 mark at Rexall Place. Nashville won its last trip to Edmonton by a 2-1 score on Nov. 28th, 2011 thanks to Nick Spaling’s game winner at 12:21 of the third period.

David Legwand also scored in the 2012-13 season opener of the series, and has seen more offensive success against Edmonton than any other non-divisional opponent (14g-20a-34pts, 45gp).

Nashville Predators Patric Hornqvist

Patric Hornqvist has posted 11 points (7g-4a) in 14 career games vs. the Oilers, including a goal on March 8th before leaving due to injury and Martin Erat notched his first career hat trick, a natural hat trick, at Rexall Place on March 4th, 2008, the second road hat trick in franchise history.

The Oilers are one of four teams Chris Mason has a sub-2.00 goals-against average against. For his career, he is 5-1-2 with a 1.84 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. Zach Boychuk scored in his Predators debut on March 8th.

Gabriel Bourque scored for the team-leading ninth time on Friday at Calgary, giving the second-year forward goals in a career-high three consecutive games. The Rimouski, Que., native has tallied five goals in his last seven outings to surpass his output from his rookie campaign in 2011-12 (seven goals in 43 games).

Friday’s goal was a power-play goal, moving Bourque into a tie for first in man-advantage markers. He is also the only Predator with multiple game-winning goals, and has Nashville’s lone shorthanded marker on the year. Six of Bourque’s nine goals have come on the road.

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