PREDATORS (3-5-1) at COYOTES (3-6-0)
10 p.m. ET; FS-A, FS-TN, NHL.TV
Predators team scope
Nashville Predators captain Mike Fisher is questionable with an upper-body injury. He didn't practice Wednesday. If he can't play, Kevin Fiala is the likely replacement. Pekka Rinne will celebrate his 34th birthday by starting against the Coyotes after making 28 saves in a 5-1 road victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday for his second win this season. Nashville's offense came alive against Colorado, but the Predators are still waiting for Filip Forsberg, who led them with 33 goals last season, to score his first in 2016-17. He is tied for the team lead in points with seven, all assists, in nine games and had two against the Avalanche. The Predators are 1-2-1 in a five-game road trip that ends against Arizona.
Coyotes team scope
The Arizona Coyotes will be without center Martin Hanzal, who left after one period of a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday and is undergoing further tests on a lower-body injury. Forward Tobias Rieder, who left the San Jose game after taking a blocked shot off his left leg, skated briefly and is questionable. Arizona has recalled center Christian Dvorak from Tucson of the American Hockey League. The Coyotes will also be without defenseman Michael Stone for a third straight game due to an upper-body injury. Second-year forward Max Domi is still looking for his first goal of the season. He has six assists in the first nine games. Louis Domingue, coming off a 39-save win against San Jose, will start. Rookie defenseman Jakob Chychrun, played 23 minutes against the Sharks in his eighth NHL game.
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- James Neal
Viktor Arvidsson -- Mike Fisher -- Calle Jarnkrok
Colin Wilson -- Mike Ribeiro -- Craig Smith
Cody Bass -- Colton Sissons -- Austin Watson
Pekka Rinne
Scratched: Matt Carle. Kevin Fiala, Harry Zolnierczyk
Injured: Anthony Bitetto (upper body), Miikka Salomaki (upper body)
Coyotes projected lineup
Max Domi -- Jordan Martinook -- Radim Vrbata
Jamie McGinn -- Dylan Strome -- Anthony Duclair
Laurent Dauphin -- Brad Richardson -- Shane Doan
Lawson Crouse -- Christian Dvorak -- Ryan White
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Alex Goligoski
Jakob Chychrun -- Connor Murphy
Kevin Connauton -- Luke Schenn
Louie Domingue
Scratched: None
Injured: Martin Hanzal (lower body), Tobias Rieder (lower body), Mike Smith (knee), Michael Stone (upper body)
Status report
Smith, out since Oct. 18 with a knee injury, skated with full equipment Thursday but isn't facing shots. Coach Dave Tippett said Smith is at least a week away from consideration for a return. If Rieder can't play, Dauphin would take his place on a line with Richardson and Doan. With Hanzal out, Martinook will center for Domi and Vrbata and Dvorak will center the fourth line between Crouse and White.
Who's hot
Smith had the 11th multigoal game of his career against Colorado. Nine of those 11 have come on the road. Neal had his first two-point game of the season and has points in back-to-back games. Forsberg has seven points in six career games against Arizona. … Richardson has a point in seven of Arizona's nine games. He is tied with Vrbata for the team lead with four goals.
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