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(SportsNetwork. Derrick Shelby Jersey .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. Steve Bartkowski Jersey . Signs of a turnaround have emerged in this series at Minnesota. Brian Roberts had three doubles and a triple for the first four-extra-base-hit game of his 14-year career, and the Yankees used their bullpen to preserve a 6-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Logan Paulsen Jersey . Richard Jefferson scored 17 points and Diante Garrett had a career-high 15 points as the Jazz had seven players with 10 points or more in Utahs largest margin of victory this season. http://www.officialatlantafalconsfootball.com/authentic-deion-jones-jersey-womens . -- Kenneth Faried made a turnaround hook shot over Draymond Green with a half-second remaining, and the Denver Nuggets made Golden State wait at least one more game to secure a playoff berth with a stunning 100-99 win over the Warriors on Thursday night. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Craig Gentry is committed to doing what he can to help the Athletics win another division crown in 2014. The As added outfield depth Tuesday by acquiring Gentry along with right-hander Josh Lindblom from the division rival Texas Rangers for outfielder Michael Choice and minor league infielder Chris Bostick. The teams announced the deal Tuesday, a day after Oakland traded for AL saves leader Jim Johnson in a swap with Baltimore and also reached agreement on a $22 million, two-year contract with left-handed starter Scott Kazmir. "I definitely didnt anticipate it, it caught me off guard a little bit," Gentry said. "Being on the other side of the white lines from these guys so many years, its a great ballclub." While the two-time defending AL West champion As have their starting outfield returning in centre fielder Coco Crisp, left fielder Yoenis Cespedes and right fielder Josh Reddick, Gentry provides an option off the bench and creates depth. The returnees have dealt with injuries in recent seasons. Gentry said he is comfortable playing all three outfield spots. "I really dont know what my role is going to be," said Gentry, who had yet to speak to the As brass. "Hopefully whatever I can to help the team keep winning and keep up their streak. They handle themselves, they play hard. That team is exactly the type of player I am. I think Im going to fit in well over there." GGentry batted . Custom Atlanta Falcons Jerseys. 80 with two homers and 22 RBIs in 106 games for the Rangers this year, while Lindblom went 1-3 with a 5.46 ERA in five starts and three relief appearances over three stints with the Rangers this year. Gentry received a call from Rangers general manager Jon Daniels while on the golf course Tuesday with news of the trade. "Its a big rivalry between Oakland and Texas," Gentry said of his success against the As. For the Rangers, acquiring Choice brings the outfielder back home to Texas -- and he will have a chance to contribute right away rather than be competing to make the big league team out of spring training with Oakland. "Its something Ive always dreamed about, playing at home," said Choice, a Fort Worth native who grew up attending Rangers games while going to high school and college in Arlington. The 24-year-old Choice, taken by Oakland with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft, made his major league debut in September and played nine games late in the season for the As, batting .278 with a double and two runs scored. Daniels considers Choice an option for now and the future. Choice could become the everyday left fielder if the Rangers dont re-sign Nelson Cruz. Bostick played for Class A Beloit in 2013 and hit .282 with 14 home runs and 89 RBIs in 129 games. He drew 51 walks for a .354 on-base percentage and stole 25 bases. He provides depth for the organization in the middle infield. 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