(SportsNetwork.com) - Barry Trotzs highly anticipated return to Music City is on tap Friday as the Nashville Predators welcome their former longtime head coach and his Washington Capitals to Bridgestone Arena. Trotz served 15 seasons as head coach in Nashville, beginning with the franchises inaugural campaign in 1998-99, until parting ways with the club last spring. He amassed 557 wins in 1,196 regular-season games with the Predators, but was let go after Nashville missed the playoffs for a second straight season. Trotz had led Nashville to the postseason in seven of the previous eight campaigns. Im excited, Trotz said in a conference call earlier this week. Im excited to get back home and see some friends, and I get to see my family for a little bit. Its good to get to go back home. Nashvilles decision to part ways with the only head coach it had ever known has proved beneficial for both Trotz and Peter Laviolette, the man who took his place behind the Predators bench. Laviolette was tasked with transitioning the Preds from Trotzs defense-first style to a more up-tempo strategy and to say it has been a success would be an enormous understatement. Nashville, which is tied with Anaheim for the most points in the NHL this season, has gone from an average of 2.61 goals per game in 2013-14 to 3.00 goals per game this season, and it has done so while somehow improving on defense. The Preds were 23rd in the league in team defense (2.84 GPG) in Trotzs last season in Music City and are currently first with only 2.17 goals surrendered per contest. The Preds have yet to lose consecutive games under Laviolette, but Trotzs Capitals have been no slouch either. It took a little longer for Trotz to successfully implement his style of play in D.C., but Alex Ovechkin and his Washington teammates are thriving under the system now. The Caps enter Fridays action third in the Metropolitan Division. They are three points behind the first-place New York Islanders and two in back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for second. The Isles and Pens face each other tonight on Long Island. Washington is 6-0-1 this month and only has suffered one regulation loss over its last 19 trips to the ice, going 14-1-4 during that stretch. The Caps only loss in January came in a 3-2 overtime setback in Philadelphia on Jan. 8, but Trotzs club exacted revenge for that defeat with a 1-0 home win over the Flyers on Wednesday. It was Washingtons third straight victory. Braden Holtby recorded his 15th career shutout by stopping all 21 shots sent his way on Wednesday. It was Holtbys fourth shutout of the season in his 20th straight start between the pipes for the Caps. Jason Chimera supplied the necessary offense early in the first period for the Capitals. Holtby expects to get the call tonight and he won his only career outing against the Preds, stopping 34-of-36 shots in a 5-2 home victory on Dec. 7 of last season. Justin Peters will give Holtby a rare rest on Saturday, when Washington visits the Dallas Stars. Nashville, meanwhile, will be without its franchise goaltender for the next few weeks. Pekka Rinne, a candidate for the Hart and Vezina Trophies, is expected to be sidelined with a sprained knee until after the NHLs All-Star festivities, which takes place next weekend in Columbus. Rinne has posted a 29-6-2 record in 37 games this season while sporting a 1.96 goals against average and .931 save percentage. Carter Hutton, who is 0-3-2 with a 2.60 GAA in six games this season, will start tonight with AHL call-up Marek Mazanec serving as the backup. Rinne stopped 20-of-21 shots on Tuesday before exiting Nashvilles eventual 5-1 victory over Vancouver early in the third period. The Finnish netminder was knocked backwards into the end boards in a collision between Vancouvers Chris Higgins and defenseman Anton Volchenkov. Hutton finished the final 17-plus minutes with 10 stops. They came right away, I didnt have much chance to get ready, said Hutton. Thats your job as a backup, always be ready to go out there at any minute of the game. Colin Wilson registered a season high of four points thanks to two goals and two assists to help the Preds rout the visiting Canucks. Craig Smith, Filip Forsberg and Mike Fisher also tallied for Nashville, which has won four in a row and six of its last seven. Nashville, which owns a four-point lead over Chicago for first place in the Central Division, is 17-2-1 as the host this season and is completing a brief two-game homestand tonight. The Caps and Preds have split the last four meetings in this series, but Washington has claimed seven of nine overall. Nashville has taken the past two encounters at Bridgestone Arena. Nike Air Max 270 Just Do It Black . The 42-ranked Czech saved seven break points while converting his one chance, and defeated the No. 3 seed in 1 hour 46 minutes. Rosol, who lost in the final in Stuttgart against Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, awaits the winner between Philipp Kohlschreiber or 2011 champion Gilles Simon. Air Max 270 White Cheap .m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Colts by 5RECORD VS. SPREAD — Cincinnati 8-8, Indianapolis 11-5SERIES RECORD — Colts lead 18-10LAST MEETING — Colts beat Bengals 27-0, Oct. http://www.max270cheap.com/. The Packers, Lions and Bears were a combined 35-15 and as long as Jay Cutler can say healthy, all three could make the playoffs in 2012. Nike Air Max 270 Flyknit Cheap . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Fake Air Max 270 For Sale . Appearing on TSN 690 Monday afternoon, Mike Babcock said he had conversations with both P.K. Subban and Carey Price about those on-ice traits during Hockey Canadas summer orientation camp. Mike Babcock: McGill experience, P.Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens (5) - He had a huge game, with no better series saver than the paddle save on Milan Lucic in the second period. He had great rebound control all night long, handled the puck well and didnt allow second chances. Price also had big saves on Jarome Iginla, Davif Krejci, Carl Soderberg and Patrice Bergeron. His big save on Bergeron helped turn it around immediately as the Habs scored the same play. He was the best player on the ice for the Habs on Monday night. He had a huge game when it counted, especially in the second when the Bruins pressed hard. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (3) - Rask had no chance on the first goal by Lars Eller, as it was caused by a tough turnover early in the game. In the second goal, he wasnt set on Max Paciorettys partial breakaway and allowed a five-hole goal that he should stop. Rask did make great saves on Renee Bourque, Brendan Gallagher, Eller and Tomas Plekanec.dddddddddddd The third goal by Montreal was a scramble play around the net. He was just good on Monday night. He didnt lose them the game, but didnt win it for them like Price did. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (2) - Quick guessed on the wrong side on Nick Boninos goal and was screened, with not much help on the back door goal (Mathieu Perreault/Devante Smith-Pelley goal). And Smith-Pelleys secondgoal on a breakaway finished with a nice move. Quick has cooled off in his game since the first two starts of the series. Hell needs to be a difference maker in the next game, as hes just been okay. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (4) - Gibson was solid again. He had chance on the Trevor Lewis goal, as it was a deflection off of Bryan Allens arm. He made big saves on Tyler Toffoli and then off Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar in the second on the penalty kill - then a huge left pad save on Gaborik early in the third. Gibsons positioning and rebound control was very strong and he showed good poise again. ' ' '