Winless in their last eight affairs, the Nashville Predators were able to snap their seven game losing streak by forcing their game against the Chicago Blackhawks into overtime.

With only eight days remaining in the Nashville Predators' 2012-13 season, they head to Chi-town to take on the Chicago Blackhawks. Nashville is 15-21-8 with 38 points and 14th in the Western Conference. Western Conference champions Blackhawks are 33-5-4 with 70 points and 1st in the Western Conference. Puck drops at 7:39pm CT.

The Predators have recalled forward Kevin Henderson, instead of Austin Watson, for their Friday game against the Blackhawks. It will be Henderson's first game in the NHL.

The 6'0, 210 pound Left Winger has been with the Admirals for two seasons. He made his pro debut in with the Sharks AHL affiliate in Worcester. This year Henderson has 16 goals and 11 assits with the Admirals. He is + 10 on the season.

Henderson was undrafted when he signed with the Sharks. He had been playing with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in Fredericton, before signing his Pro Contract. With the Reds he won the 2009 CIS Championships, which is the highest team achievement in the Canadian University league. Henderson had 50 points in 28 games played the year UNB won the championships.

Henderson becomes the 8th rookie to play with the Preds this season. He will be joining a plethora of young prospects on the roster, including Filip Forsberg and Bang, who got re-called to the Preds after being sent back to Milawaukee earlier this week.

Former Predator Joel Ward also played in the CIS before signing a Pro contract. Ward played with the University of Prince Edward Island, a division rival of the Varsity Reds, 2 years before Henderson began play with the Fredericton team.

(Photo by: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

During a franchise record tying seven game losing streak, it is hard to find one player on the Nashville Predators' roster who has been "hot" as of late. However, there are plenty of players who are "cold".

Nothing has gone right as of late for the Predators. After losing Monday to the Vancouver Canucks, Nashville's playoff chances were shattered and now look forward to the offseason.

Points in the scoring department has been lacking as of late totaling on eight goals throughout their losing skid and being shutout three times. It isn't surprising because of all the injuries up front. Three of their top six scorers are out with injuries--Wilson, Bourque and Fisher.

Austin Watson, Daniel Bang and Mattias Ekholm have been reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals Tuesday afternoon in the midst of a race to the American Hockey League playoffs. The Nashville Predators have a long break and will not be playing until Friday, April 12th.

After a season marred with underperforming offense, a franchise record losing streak and 8 shutouts and counting, it is clear that the Predators are struggling upfront. The organization would have to be banana’s to not draft some offense with their first round pick, especially after looking at the overly talented crop of players this year. Drouin, Mackinnon, and Nichushkin could all have challenged Yakupov for his first overall spot last year.

But even with that said, friends, I propose to you that we draft a defenseman with our 4^th – 7^th overall pick. Unfortunately, I think Seth Jones will be slightly out of reach, as he is likely to go 1^st or 2^nd. So, I present to you, for your consideration, Darnell Nurse, a 6’5, 192 pound Canadian boy who is currently playing with the Sault Ste-Marie Greyhounds in the OHL.

The Vancouver Canucks were just being the Vancouver Canucks Monday night at Bridgestone Arena. In a game fuull of complaining, cheap shots and just plain stupidity, the Canucks reassured the fans attending the game why everyone in the NHL hates them.

Mattias Ekholm was recalled by the Nashville Predators Monday, hours prior to puck drop against the Vancouver Canucks. The Swedish born defenseman was called up under “emergency conditions” as Kevin Klein is added to the injured list.

Klein received the “A” from the coaching staff with Patric Hornqvist suffering from an upper body injury Sunday against Detroit, but it appears the patch will not stay on long.

Last season, Ekholm started off the year with the Predators, but was sent back to play for Brynas in the Swedish Elite League because he was supposedly on head coach Barry Trotz’s dog house. The 22 year old returned to North America this year to play in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. In 55 games, he posted 27 points (9g, 18a) and is a +9.

Surprisingly, Nashville didn’t recall Ryan Ellis, who spent the majority of the season on the Preds’ roster. Ellis played in 32 games and totaled two goals, four assists and was a -2.

The theory I can come up with is the coaching staff believes Ekholm is a much more solid defensive defenseman that can handle second line duties, opposed to offensive defensemen Ellis and Jon Blum.

Indeed, this team is starting to look more and more like the “Nashville Admirals”, rather than the Nashville Predators.

photo from: NHL.com

Welcome to the Weekend Update. This is the weekly article that keeps you up-to-date on the NHL standings, provides you with videos from the world of hockey in the week that was, and informs Nashvillians on the televised NHL games in the upcoming week. In this edition, Columbus is getting good, Kessel scores an improbable goal, Holtby robs Carolina, Ottawa converts on a 2-on-0, and Justin Peters enters the "save of the year" discussion.

In their second of back-to-back home games, the Nashville Predators take on the Vancouver Canucks. The Predators are ranked 13th in the Western Conference with 38 points and a record of 15-20-8. The Canucks have a record of 23-12-6 with 52 points and ranked 3rd in the Western Conference. Puck drops at 7:08pm CT in the Music City.