Nashville Predators (41-15-7) at New York Rangers (38-17-6), 7 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Rangers made a statement over the weekend that they are going all-in during their quest for a Stanley Cup title this season.
There is a decent chance they may have to go through the Nashville Predators to do so.
The Rangers look to rebound on Monday night when they host the NHL-leading Predators.
New York pulled off a trio of trades on Sunday, the biggest landing them 28- year-old defenseman Keith Yandle from the Arizona Coyotes. The Rangers also picked up blueliner Chris Summers and a 2016 fourth-round draft pick from the Coyotes in exchange for defenseman John Moore, forward prospect Anthony Duclair and a pair of draft picks, including a 2015 second-round choice.
Yandle posted 37 assists and 41 points in 63 games with the Coyotes this season, logging nearly 24 minutes of ice time per game.
New York also made changes to its forward depth, sending Lee Stempniak to the Winnipeg Jets for minor league forward Carl Klingberg while picking up forward James Sheppard from the San Jose Sharks for a draft pick.
Sheppard had five goals and 11 assists in 57 games with the Sharks this season.
It is unknown if any of those newly-acquired players will be in the lineup tonight as the Rangers look to grab a share of the Metropolitan Division lead. They are two points back of the idle New York Rangers and also only a point up on the third-place Pittsburgh Penguins.
New York failed to keep pace on Saturday, losing 4-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Moore and J.T. Miller had the goals and Cam Talbot made 30 saves in the loss, which saw the Flyers net a go-ahead short-handed goal in the third period.
"Our power play has to find a way to get it done. We certainly can't get scored on it for sure," Rangers forward Derek Stepan said.
New York lost for the first time in five games and saw a 10-game point streak (8-0-2) come to an end.
Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi did not practice on Sunday after getting stung a bit blocking a shot versus the Flyers, but is expected to play tonight.
Nashville, meanwhile, continues to pace the NHL with 89 points, good enough for a four-point edge over the second-place St. Louis Blues in the Central Division, but is coming off two straight regulation losses for the first time this season.
The Preds followed up a 4-2 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday with Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Pekka Rinne made 21 saves on 25 shots faced, failing to protect a 3-2 lead he was given on consecutive second- period goals from Matt Cullen, Mike Fisher and Shea Weber. Cullen recorded an assist as well in defeat.
"There are things we need to do better," Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said afterward. "I think we can and will do better, but they are playing hard. We will fix those things and be ready."
Nashville has a league-leading 26-5-1 mark at home, but is set to play two straight and six of its next eight on the road. That includes a contest versus the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
The Predators have won four of their past five at home versus the Rangers and topped New York 3-2 in Nashville on Feb. 7. Weber, Roman Josi and Mike Ribeiro all had goals and Rinne posted 30 saves.
Rinne is 1-0-1 with a 1.44 goals against average and .946 save percentage in two meetings with the Rangers, allowing three goals on 56 shots. Backup Carter Hutton has faced New York once before, getting a win for yielding one goal on 29 shots faced.
Talbot made 20 saves in the loss at Nashville, falling to 1-1-0 with a 1.53 GAA, .925 save percentage and one shutout in two meetings with Nashville.
Rick Nash scored versus the Predators and is second in the NHL with 37 goals, but has gone without a point in his past three games.