Predators host Capitals in third game of five-game homestand

The Washington Capitals visit Bridgestone Arena Thursday night to face the Nashville Predators. Puck drop is 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT. It's the third game of Nashville's five-game homestand, which still has Tampa Bay and Carolina on deck. The game streams nationally on ESPN+ and locally on Scripps Sports. Read more: Predators host Capitals in third game of five-game homestand

Nashville is 4-3-5 for 13 points, and it has gone 2-3 over its last five games. The Predators erased an early 3-0 deficit Tuesday but still fell to the Islanders in a shootout, 4-3, at Bridgestone Arena.

Washington, meanwhile, is 7-4-0 for 14 points and has won two straight. It beat Buffalo 4-3 in overtime, then Philadelphia 5-2 on Wednesday night at home.

Related: Predators fall to Islanders in shootout after erasing 3-goal deficit

Goalie questions on both sides

That win over Philadelphia came on the front half of a back-to-back, and it still leaned heavily on one goaltender. Logan Thompson played all 60 minutes against the Flyers, stopping 23 of 25 shots in his first game back from a lower-body injury.

He now gets zero rest before facing Nashville, so his workload is the goaltending question to watch tonight. Charlie Lindgren is his only alternative if Washington wants to spare him.

Nashville has its own goaltending decision to make. Juuse Saros started and lost Tuesday's shootout, making 25 saves on 28 shots, with Justus Annunen also an option. Neither team had named a confirmed starter for tonight as of Thursday morning.

Washington also carries three players on injured reserve, per ESPN's injury report for this game. They are defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Rasmus Sandin, and center Patrick Thomas. Nashville, by contrast, has no one listed on that injury report.

Related: Predators host Islanders in first meeting of the season

DraftKings has Washington as a -112 moneyline favorite and Nashville at -108, per ESPN's odds data. The puck line is Washington -1.5, and the total is 6.5. That's the market's read on a game between two teams separated by a single point, not a lean either way. If gambling is a problem for you or someone you know, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Alex Ovechkin, meanwhile, is still stuck at 761 career assists for the Capitals after Wednesday's win. That leaves him one shy of Nicklas Backstrom's franchise record of 762.

Win or lose tonight, Nashville's homestand rolls on, with Tampa Bay the next team through Bridgestone Arena.