The set-up: The Nashville Predators didn't make much noise in the regular season last year but then opened the playoffs with an improbable four-game sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Western Conference points leader. Nashville then beat St. Louis and Anaheim in six-games series, before giving the Pittsburgh Penguins all they wanted in the Stanley Cup finals. That series was tied two-all, before the defending champs made it back-to-back Stanley Cup tiles with 6-0 and 2-0 wins to close out the Preds. Nashville opened the current season with visits to Boston and Pittsburgh and things have not gone well, with the Predators getting outscored 8-3 and never owning a lead. Meanwhile, the Flyers missed the playoffs last season but have opened 2-1 this season, despite beginning the year with four straight road games. Philly's road trip ends here, with this visit to Nashville.
Philadelphia: The Flyers have missed the playoffs in three of the last five years and haven't advanced past the first round of the postseason since 2012. The Flyers have been looking for an elite goaltender for years (the club was tied for 26th in save percentage at .901 last season) and they are hoping Brian Elliott is the answer. Elliott got off to a slow start by going 3-9-1 with a 3.31 goal-against average over the first two months of the campaign last season with Calgary but he finished 26-18-3 with a 2.55 GAA and two shutouts, which was enough for the Flyers to give the 32-year-old a two-year deal. Michal Neuvirth was also inked a two-year, $5 million extension in March, so the 'battle' is on. Neuvirth was in goal for Philly's 2-0 loss at the LA Kings with Elliott going 2-0 with a 2.49 GAA. He's expected to play again, tonight. Wayne Simmonds tallied a hat trick Wednesday night in a 5-3, season-opening win at San Jose, then potted the game-winner Saturday night in overtime for a 3-2 victory over Anaheim, giving him a team-leading four goals. The Flyers have been at their best in the third period of all three games. They out-shot the Ducks 15-4 in the final period Saturday night, with only the play of goalie John Gibson getting Anaheim into OT. Philadelphia also enjoyed big advantages in shots on goal in the games against the Sharks and the Kings.

Nashville: The Predators 4-0 loss to the Penguins on Saturday night, in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch, occurred against a Pittsburgh team that had allowed 15 goals in losses to the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks earlier last week. That's not a good sign. Then again, as center Ryan Johansen said, "It's only two games, but we're behind the eight ball. We need to win two games to get to .500 now. We're very comfortable playing at home, and we need to go home and take care of business." The Predators lost James Neal to Vegas in the expansion draft and captain Mike Fisher to retirement. However, Nashville did add Nick Bonino, winner of consecutive Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, to fortify the center position before Fisher retired. Winger Scott Hartnell was also signed from the Columbus Blue Jackets to add depth scoring and another veteran presence in the locker room. Otherwise, the Predators are sticking with the young core that got them to Game 6 of the Finals last spring.

The pick: Before tonight's home opener against the Flyers, the Predators will do something they have never done, that is hoist a banner to the rafters of Bridgestone Arena emblematic of a Western Conference championship. After an 0-2 start, I say make Nashville an 8* play in this one. After all, Nashville went 9-2 on home ice during last year's playoffs.