Predators @ Capitals

Who will WIN this matchup?

Nashville Predators (22-15-2)

@ Washington Capitals (24-10-3)

Starting Goalies:

Pekka Rinne (NSH): Unconfirmed

Braden Holtby(WSH): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

Nashville Predators: (+110)

Washington Capitals: (-135)

• The Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators are singing vastly different tunes heading into Monday’s matinee at Capital One Arena. Washington has won four in a row and 16 of its last 19 to vault into first place in the Metropolitan Division while Nashville has dropped six straight overall (0-5-1) and 10 consecutive contests on road (0-8-2). The Capitals were quite creative with their offense in Saturday’s 3-2 victory at Ottawa, with Madison Bowey and Tyler Lewington becoming the 19th defensive pair in the NHL – and first in franchise history – to score their first career goal in the same game. While Washington has won five in a row on the road and nine of its last 10 away from the nation’s capital Nashville hasn’t emerged victorious outside of Music City since it won its franchise-best eighth straight on the road to begin the season with a 5-4 overtime triumph in Dallas on Nov. 10.

• The Predators’ fortunes didn’t get any better at home, as they were shut out by the Stars on Thursday before seeing a third-period lead go by the wayside in a 4-3 setback against the New York Rangers two days later.

• Nick Bonino was none-too-pleased with the direction of the team despite scoring twice on the power play against the Rangers to double his goal total in December after being limited to four over the first two months of the season. “We can’t lose six in a row, not in this league and not in this division, not with the parity there is,” the 30-year-old Bonino told reporters. “We’ve just got to get better.” Filip Forsberg has collected eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last 11 games overall and 10 (six goals, four assists) in eight career contests against the team that selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft.

• Captain Alex Ovechkin has been “stuck” on an NHL-high 29 goals for the last five games, mustering just two assists in that stretch after tallying a staggering 16 times in his previous 14 contests. The three-time Hart Trophy recipient scored on the power play against Nashville on April 5, but the Predators completed a two-game season sweep with a 4-3 triumph in Washington. Fellow Russian Evgeny Kutznetsov collected two goals and an assist in that contest and set up a goal in Ottawa for his 11th point (one goal, 10 assists) this month.

• Nashville G Pekka Rinne has posted a 4-1-0 record with a 2.40 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in five career meetings with Washington.

• Washington’s Matt Niskanen has been ruled out of Monday’s matinee with an upper-body injury while fellow D Brooks Orpik could draw back into the lineup after missing 27 games with an ailing knee.

•  The Predators own a 10-3-1 mark against Eastern Conference representatives.