The Pittsburgh Penguins may have finally found their form.
The Nashville Predators, on the other hand, have some reasons to feel positive about their situation, even though their season has been tough.
With a three-game point streak, the Penguins are hoping to stop the Predators from winning back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months when the teams play Thursday in Nashville.
Pittsburgh struggled during the first 23 games of the season, winning only seven games and never managing to win two in a row until Nov. 23. Since then, the Penguins have gone 7-2-1 and earned five points in their last three games, including a 3-2 overtime win over the Kings in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk scored his first goal as a Penguin to tie the game late in the third period, and Rickard Rakell scored the winner 1:44 into overtime. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 29 shots for Pittsburgh, which believes it may have turned the corner.
“Going back to last season, where we (went) on that hot stretch at the end of the season (closing 8-2-2), I think it’s kind of the same feeling we had then,” Rakell told the Penguins’ official website.
“We’re starting to get in (the dressing) room right now.”
Rakell has scored half of his team-leading 14 goals in the last 10 games and also added five assists during this period.
Teammate Sidney Crosby has been stuck on 600 career goals for the last 10 games but has 10 assists in that time. Crosby has eight goals and 20 assists in 23 career games against Nashville.
The Predators are still tied with Chicago for the fewest points in the NHL, with 24, but have won two of their last three games after a franchise-record-tying eight-game losing streak (0-5-3).
On Tuesday, Juuse Saros made 25 saves to end his personal eight-game losing streak, and Jonathan Marchessault scored a goal in the first period to give the Predators a 2-0 home win over the struggling New York Rangers.
Nashville last won back-to-back games during a three-game winning streak from Oct. 22-26.
“The last three (games) feel good. I like the positive energy,” said Marchessault, who has scored seven of his eight goals at home.
“It’s been a tough run for our group. We’ve had a hard time grabbing that consistency, so we’re just trying to build it. I think the little bit of the identity of the last three games is something that we can hold onto and be proud of.”
Marchessault may have finally found some chemistry with his fellow star linemates Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos, who have each earned five points in the last four games.
Saros (2.63 goals-against average) has only won back-to-back starts once this season, on Oct. 22 and 25. Backup Justus Annunen made 35 saves in his most recent start, a 4-1 victory at Dallas on Dec. 12.
Meanwhile, Nedeljkovic has stopped 87 of 95 shots in his last three starts for Pittsburgh, winning two of those games. The Penguins are 16-4-2 against the Predators since October 2010. Teammate Tristan Jarry has a 1.98 goals-against average during his current 2-0-1 stretch on the road.
It is still unclear if Nashville’s injured star defenseman and captain, Roman Josi (lower-body injury), will miss a fourth straight game.
