Blues shoot for revenge vs. Predators

(SportsNetwork.com) - The St. Louis Blues have been nearly unbeatable for three weeks, with a setback to the Nashville Predators last Saturday serving as the lone blemish.

The Predators look to make it two in a row over the Blues on Thursday night as the clubs rematch at Scottrade Center.

Nashville has won a season-high three straight games, a stretch that includes a 2-1 victory over hosting St. Louis last weekend. That contest finished off a 4-2-0 road trip for the Predators and they returned home on Tuesday to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2.

All three Nashville goals came in the opening period, with Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro having a goal and an assist each and Matt Cullen also lighting the lamp.

Forsberg, who has formed a dominating top line with Ribeiro and James Neal, had six goals and four assists over a six-game point streak.

"I was really happy about the first period," said head coach Peter Laviolette. "I was concerned a little bit, I think, going into the game having just come off of the long road trip. Historically, it's meant a flat period for the home team. So I think our guys did a really good job of conquering that and coming out and playing a really hard period."

Pekka Rinne turned aside 21 shots in the win, improving to 10-2-1 with a 1.83 goals against average and .934 save percentage in 13 starts this season. He has helped lead a defense that has allowed Nashville to go 10-1-1 when scoring at least two goals this season.

Nashville leads St. Louis by one point for first place in the Central Division and handed the Blues their only loss over their past nine games.

After having their seven-game winning streak halted with Saturday's setback, the Blues bounced back to dominate the Buffalo Sabres 6-1 on Tuesday.

St. Louis saw its line of Jori Lehtera, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz continue to click. Lehtera netted a natural hat trick, with Schwartz assisting on all three goals and Tarasenko notching a helper on two of them.

The line has combined for 25 points over the last six games and Tarasenko has logged five goals and five assists over a six-game point streak. Lehtera has four goals and four assists over his five-game run.

"He's a hard-working guy," Schwartz said about Lehtera. "He's a big reason why our line is scoring right now."

Joakim Lindstrom added two late goals, Alexander Steen also had three assists and Brian Elliott made 28 saves.

Lehtera had the only goal for the Blues in last Saturday's loss to the Preds, with Elliott making 33 stops.

Neal and Forsberg had a goal and an assist each and Rinne made 28 saves, moving to 14-11-4 in his career versus the Blues with a 2.05 GAA and .928 save percentage.

That effort snapped Nashville's six-game losing streak to the Blues as it beat the franchise for only the second time in the last 12 meetings. The Preds also won for just the fourth time in its last 10 trips to St. Louis.

Jake Allen is scheduled to make his first career start in net against the Predators tonight, having faced them once before in relief. Elliott is expected to get the call on Saturday when St. Louis wraps a five-game homestand versus Washington.