Arena: Jobing.com Arena
Time: Thursday, 21 January, 2010 at 9:00 PM ET
League: NHL – United States of America

Last 10 matches: Nashville 7-3-0; Phoenix 4-4-2
Its the first of four meetings this season. The Coyotes won the first matchup last season, 2-1 on home ice, before the Predators took three straight. Nashville outscored Phoenix 8-2 in those victories, including a 2-0 shutout for Pekka Rinne in the most recent game on March 14, 2009, at Jobing.com Arena.Defense and goaltending, hallmarks for the Coyotes over the first three months of the season, have let them down since the start of the new year. Phoenix has allowed at least three goals in all eight games it has played in 2010 prior to that, Dave Tippett’s club hadn’t given up three goals in more than two straight games all season. Once among a handful of the top defensive teams in the League, the Coyotes have slipped to ninth, allowing an average of 2.5 goals per game.
Fifth-year defenseman Kevin Klein, who signed a new three-year deal with Nashville on Tuesday, is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game, a major increase from the 12:39 he played last season. … Fourth-year defenseman Keith Yandle already has a career-high 6 goals for Phoenix.
Although he gave up Kessel’s goal and took the loss, Dan Ellis was credited by Nashville coach Barry Trotz as being their best player Monday. Ellis took over after Rinne allowed three goals on eight shots and stopped 13 of 14 shots over the final 51 minutes, giving the Predators a chance to come back. Ellis has given up two goals or less in five straight appearances. Ryan Jones, who scored the tying goal against Toronto, has lit the lamp in three of his last four games. … Radim Vrbata has 3 goals and 2 assists during a five-game points streak for Phoenix. Doan has goals in two straight and Petr Prucha has two goals and an assist in the last two games. We will post live score and results of this match, as soon as posible.