The Nashville Predators will try for a perfect back-to-back set and a perfect five-game road trip on Sunday when they face the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
Back in a Wild Card position for the first time since January and with only 24 games remaining, the Predators know each contest will weigh heavily on their postseason chances.
“We know who we're competing against and we obviously keep track of what they're doing,” Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. “But at the same time, if we're not going to win our games, it's not going to matter at the end anyway. So, that's really all we can focus on.”
Fortunately, the Predators have played with both a strong sense of identity and urgency since embarking on their five-game trip and feel a great deal of confidence heading into their next challenge on Sunday.
“We’ve been road warriors here through the stretch and [Sunday] will be another test,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “We’re playing back-to-back with some travel, but I think our group has found a way to get some resilience in our game and we'll be ready to play.”
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here’s everything you need to know:
LAST TIME OUT
Forsberg became the franchise’s second all-time scoring leader and Kiefer Sherwood scored twice as the Predators earned their fourth-straight win, defeating the San Jose Sharks, 4-2, at SAP Center on Saturday.
Forberg’s 27th goal of the season saw the forward earn his 567th career point and pass David Legwand for the second-most points in Predators history. Forsberg additionally recorded his 30th assist of the season on Gustav Nyquist’s empty-net goal.
Sherwood’s sixth and seventh goals of the season earned him the second multi-goal performance of his career and the first since April 14, 2023. With the tallies, Sherwood matched a career high in goals (7 in 2022-23) and established a career high in points (15); his previous best was set during the 2022-23 season.
Nyquist recorded a goal and an assist for his eighth multi-point game of the season and the second in his last seven games.
With a primary helper on Sherwood’s first-period goal, Michael McCarron established a career high in assists (8) and points (15). His previous highs were both set during the 2021-22 season.
Juuse Saros made 23 saves and improved to 23-21-2 on the season.
The result moved Nashville to 31-25-2 on the campaign and bolstered their standing in the Western Conference’s second Wild Card spot.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg leads the Predators in points (57) and goals (27). Roman Josi leads his team and is fifth among all NHL defensemen in assists (42); Nashville’s captain is additionally tied for fifth among League blueliners in points (53).
With Saros receiving the start Saturday, Kevin Lankinen is likely to get the nod against Anaheim. Lankinen is 7-4-0 after 16 appearances, with a 3.32 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.
The Predators lead the NHL in hits (1,592) and hits per 60 minutes (27.71); Lauzon leads the League in hits with 271.
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 64 points and a 17-10-2 on the road.
THE OTHER GUYS
Anaheim also enters Sunday’s contest closing a back-to-back set; the Ducks dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
Frank Vatrano leads the Ducks in goals (26) and shares the team lead in points with Troy Terry (45). Terry leads the Ducks in assists (28).
With John Gibson receiving the start on Saturday, Lukas Dostal is likely to get the nod against Nashville. Dostal is 8-14-1 after 26 appearances, with a 3.73 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage.
Anaheim is seventh in the Pacific Division with 43 points and an 8-19-1 record at Honda Center.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 38-33-(2)-11 all-time against the Ducks, including a 13-20-(0)-8 record on the road.
This is the third and final matchup between Nashville and Anaheim in 2023-24; it is the first and only at Honda Center. Nashville is 0-2-0 against Anaheim this season, falling 5-3 in the last meeting on Jan. 9 at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators also dropped a 3-2 result at home on Nov. 14.
The Predators are 3-2-0 in their last five games against the Ducks; they are 6-3-1 in their last 10; and 3-1-1 in their last five on the road. The Predators posted a six-game winning streak against the Ducks from Nov. 22, 2021-March 12, 2023. It was tied for Nashville’s longest winning streak vs. Anaheim in franchise history (also: Jan. 5, 2011-March 18, 2012). Nashville has earned at least one point in 15 of its last 19 games against Anaheim (12-4-3).
Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history after defeating Anaheim, 4-2, in the 2017 Western Conference Final.
NOTABLES VS. ANAHEIM
- Forsberg has 24 points (9g-15a) in 23 career games against Anaheim, including six multi-point outings. He became the first player in Predators history to record multiple five-point games when he notched two goals and three assists on March 21, 2022 at Anaheim.
- Josi scored his first career NHL goal on Dec. 10, 2011 vs. Anaheim. He has 26 points (8g-18a) in 32 career regular-season games and is currently on a seven-game point streak against the Ducks (4g-5a).
- Colton Sissons has 13 points (5g-8a) in 20 career meetings with Anaheim. He notched a hat trick in Game 6 of the 2017 Western Conference Final against the Ducks to help send the Predators to the Stanley Cup Final.
- Saros is 6-3-1 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 10 career games vs. Anaheim.
- Sherwood played the first 60 games of his NHL career with Anaheim from 2018-20, tallying 13 points (6g-7a).
- Lauzon made his Predators debut on March 21, 2022 at Anaheim.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Dante Fabbro is two games from 300 in his NHL career.
- Alexandre Carrier is three games from 200 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Sissons is five games from 600 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Sunday’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side.
Max Herz and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network, with pregame, postgame and intermission coverage by Herz beginning one hour before puck drop. The game will also be broadcast in Spanish on El Jefe which airs on 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM and 810 AM. (El partido también se transmite en español por El Jefe en 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM y 810 AM.)
