For their return to the ice Thursday night after a four-day Christmas break Arizona Coyotes T-Shirts Authentic , the Nashville Predators got a pair of reinforcements. What they didn’t get was a much-needed win.Despite outshooting Dallas 49-30, including a total of nine shots on net from Viktor Arvidsson and P.K. Subban in their return after absences of a month-and-a-half each, Nashville couldn’t get a puck past Anton Khudobin. It cost them a 2-0 defeat, their fifth straight loss.Article continues below ...The Predators hope to snap their longest skid since January of 2016 when they host the New York Rangers Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.With a road-heavy schedule awaiting it in January, Nashville could use these two points. To hear coach Peter Laviolette talk after Thursday night’s game, success might not be very far away, even though his team again failed to get the result.“We were working to create,” Laviolette said. “It wasn’t a lack of effort or opportunity. I think when you put that many pucks on net, you’re looking to do the right things. We’ll go back and nit-pick it. We’ll try to find some times we could have been better. It’s frustrating.”In spite of the loss, the Predators (22-15-2) remain four points behind Winnipeg for first place in the Central Division and have four meetings left with the Jets Arizona Coyotes Hoodies Authentic , including an unusual two-game home series with them January 15 and 17. So there’s still plenty of time to play catchup.Subban, whose first game back from an upper-body injury suffered in mid-November offered three shots but a minus two rating, said Nashville can build on its ability to marry puck possession with shots on net in Thursday night’s defeat.“We put nearly 50 shots on net and not a lot of teams can do that,” he said. “We did some things well. I think the two goals were tough ones and we would like to have them back. We had a lot of chances but just couldn’t bury them.While the Predators search for consistency and points, New York (15-14-7) has managed to pick up a point in seven of its last nine games. But the Rangers have just two wins to show for the stretch following a4-3 overtime loss Thursday night in Madison Square Garden to Columbus.Chris Kreider’s goal at 12:06 of the third period gave New York a late edge, but the Blue Jackets equalized via Zach Werenski at 17:40 and then skated off 31 seconds into overtime on Pierre-Luc Dubois’ 14th marker of the year.“We can’t let this get in the way of moving on and getting ready for Nashville,” said first-year coach David Quinn. “There were situations where we had a chance to get the puck out and didn’t do what we were supposed to. It’s about learning how to win.”The Rangers have struggled across the board, ranking 25th in goals (100) and 23rd in goals against (117). Their penalty kill hasn’t helped, ranking 26th.The teams met on October 4 in their season opener, with the Predators earning a 3-2 win. CALGARY Arizona Coyotes Hats Authentic , Alberta (AP) Christopher Gibson refused to take all the credit after leading the New York Islanders to a much-needed win.The rookie goalie made 50 saves as the Islanders beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 to snap an eight-game losing streak.”Personally it’s great, but hockey is a team game,” said Gibson, who improved his record this season to 1-0-2. ”It’s a great feeling. I’m happy that the team won today. I think it was a full team effort. I let out some bad rebounds and guys were there to clear them out.”It was the second NHL win for Gibson, who went 1-1-1 for the Islanders in the 2015-16 season.”Ever since he’s been in the organization he’s been a great goaltender and tough to score on,” said forward Anders Lee, who had two goals. ”We always know the potential that these (young) guys have, but when you come into the game and play as calm as he has been, it’s been a wonderful surprise.”Johnny Boychuk had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who were 0-4-4 since winning at Carolina on Feb. 16. Nick Leddy and Jordan Eberle also scored Custom Arizona Coyotes Jerseys , and Casey Cizikas and John Tavares had two assists each.New York pulled seven points behind Columbus for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.”To get a win, especially when we’ve been playing one-goal games and going into overtime and losing in a shootout or losing in overtime . something’s got to give, especially if you keep doing the right things,” Boychuk said. ”We know we’re in a corner and we have to win as many games as we can.”Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who kicked off a three-game homestand after going 2-0-1 on the road last week. Mark Giordano also scored.”It’s frustrating,” Giordano said. ”I think the problem is we’re getting down a lot at home where we’re forced to press a lot because you’re down by a few goals. That was the case again tonight.”Mike Smith made 22 saves in his return after missing 13 games with a lower-body injury.”I thought early on there I was a little sloppy, but I felt like I settled in pretty well as the game went on and got more comfortable,” Smith said. ”Tonight I think mentally we weren’t engaged enough at the start of the game and it cost us.”Leddy opened the scoring at 2:14 of the first period when he fired a point shot that deflected off the post and in behind Smith.Just 18 seconds later, another point shot by Boychuk deflected off Calgary forward Troy Brouwer’s stick and past Smith to make it 2-0.Gaudreau scored at 7:23 to pull the Flames within one when he took a pass from Sean Monahan before snapping a shot to the short side past Gibson.The Islanders regained their two-goal advantage 3:02 later as Eberle tipped Boychuk’s shot on net before picking up his own rebound and backhanding the puck past Smith.Boychuk continued his strong performance early in the second period when he fired another slap shot on net that Smith stopped, but the rebound went right to Lee www.officialbruinsproonline.com , who swatted it into the net to put New York up 4-1.Giordano poked a loose puck in the crease into the net behind Gibson at 7:24 of the third to pull the Flames within two.The Flames continued to put on the pressure, but weren’t able to get any more pucks past Gibson, who stopped point-blank chances by Sam Bennett and Gaudreau.Lee then added an empty-net goal with 10.1 seconds remaining.NOTES: Smith sustained his injury late in Calgary’s 3-2 win over the Islanders in New York on Feb. 11. … The Flames compiled a 5-6-2 record with Smith out of the lineup. … In addition to activating Smith off injured reserve, the Flames also assigned G Jon Gillies back to Stockton of the AHL on Sunday. … Gaudreau snapped a seven-game goal-scoring drought, while extending his point-scoring streak to four games. … Gibson became the third Islanders goalie this season to have at least 50 saves. Jaroslav Halak made 50 in a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers on Feb. 15 and Thomas Greiss had 52 in a 5-4 overtime win at Montreal on Jan. 15.UP NEXTIslanders: Host Washington on Thursday night.Flames: Host Edmonton on Tuesday night.