Canucks vs. Predators

Vancouver -180 vs. Nashville

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Something has got to give in a matchup of two struggling Western Conference teams sliding down the standings with loss after loss when the Nashville Predators head to Western Canada to take on the Vancouver Canucks.

Nashville (20-23-3) has seemingly been unable to get their game started this season. They are seeking to start the second half out strong and avoid losing four straight games over. The Predators have 43 points, good for fourth in the Central Division, only one point ahead of the Western Conferences worst team, St. Louis.

The Predators struggles have gone hand-in-hand with their shaky offense, which is last in the conference with 111 goals. Even when they get an advantage on offense, they can only cash in 13.7 percent of the time, one of the worst power play showings in the league. Only four Predator players have goals in the double-digits, led by Jason Arnotts 15.

Over their previous 12 games, in which Nashville has gone 3-9-0, they have scored a total of 24 goals. Things do not get any better when facing off against the Canucks. Over the last six meetings, Nashville has managed a meager eight goals and have lost each of those contests. With a victory Wednesday, Vancouver (22-19-7) will sweep the season series from the Predators for the first time.

The team that Nashville has lost to three times this season will certainly not be the same one they will be facing Wednesday. Vancouver has not won in six games and is 0-4-2 during that time. That is the longest streak since they lost seven straight back in the 1998-99 season.

The All-Star break came at a good time for a tired Canucks bunch who have seen four of their last 10 games go into either a shootout or overtime. They have lost all four of those extra stanza games.

In their final game before the break, Roberto Luongo, who appeared in the All-Star game, stopped 27 shots, but allowed the tying goal with 40 seconds remaining and allowed a goal in overtime to lose 2-1 to the West-leading San Jose.

The Canucks are 1-4-4 in their last nine games and home has not been a very friendly place for Vancouver. They are seeking to defeat Nashville and finally put an end to a franchise-worst seven-game losing streak at GM Place.

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