The Nashville Predators continue their five-game road trip looking for their fourth-straight win when they face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.
Despite their opponent being well out of playoff contention, the Predators know there is just as much at stake on Saturday as there’s been in their previous three outings.
After all, two points against the Sharks is still two points in the standings.
“It's all mental,” Predators forward Colton Sissons said following Thursday’s win over Los Angeles. “We understand where we are in the standings and where we are in the season. Points are so crucial, and it doesn't matter where teams are in the standings. Everyone is capable of playing a good, strong hockey game and beating anybody, and we understand that.”
Puck drop is at 9 p.m. CT with the game set to broadcast Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here’s everything you need to know:
LAST TIME OUT
Yakov Trenin and Mark Jankowski scored at even strength while Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon sealed the deal on the empty net to earn the Predators their third straight win in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.
Sissons additionally recorded two assists for his first three-point performance of the season and the fourth of his career.
Trenin’s first-period goal was his ninth of the season and his first since Jan. 29 vs. the Ottawa Senators.
Jankowski collected his second marker of the season and his first since Dec. 5 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.
With a goal and an assist, Lauzon recorded his first multi-point performance of the 2023-24 campaign and his first since March 6, 2023.
With a secondary assist on Trenin’s first-period goal, Ryan McDonagh picked up his 300th career helper.
Juuse Saros made 27 saves and improved to 22-21-2 on the season.
Nashville improved to 30-25-2 on the campaign and 16-10-2 on the road.
THE GOOD GUYS
Filip Forsberg leads the Predators in points (55) and goals (26); he is tied for 11th among NHL skaters in goals. Roman Josi leads his club and is fifth among League defensemen in assists (41).
Saros is 22-21-2 after 45 appearances, with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Kevin 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 (1,585) and hits per 60 minutes (27.64); Lauzon leads the League in hits with 269.
Nashville is fifth in the Central Division with 62 points and a 16-10-2 record on the road.
THE OTHER GUYS
On Saturday, the Sharks will return to game action for the first time since Monday’s 4-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Tomas Hertl leads the Sharks in points (34) and goals (15), while former Predators forward Mikael Granlund leads in assists (25).
Mackenzie Blackwood is 9-18-3 after 34 appearances, with a 3.51 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. Kaapo Kahkonen is 6-16-2 after 26 appearances, with a 3.46 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.
San Jose is eighth in the Pacific Division with 35 points and a 9-15-2 record at SAP Center.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 44-29-(2)-8 all-time against the Sharks, including a 17-17-(1)-6 record on the road. This is the second of three matchups between Nashville and San Jose in 2023-24; it is the first and only at SAP Center. Nashville is 1-0-0 against San Jose this season, claiming a 5-1 win in the sixth game of the regular season on Oct. 21 at Bridgestone Arena that saw Tommy Novak score twice.
The Predators are 5-0-0 in their last five games against the Sharks; they are 9-0-1 in their last 10; and 4-0-1 in their last five on the road. Nashville owns an 11-game point streak (10-0-1) against San Jose that dates back to March 16, 2019, in which the team has not allowed more than two goals against in a single contest. The Predators have won each of their last eight games vs. the Sharks.
Nashville went 3-0-0 in three games against San Jose last season. The Predators earned back-to-back wins vs. the Sharks on Oct. 7-8 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia, as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series. The Predators defeated the Sharks, 8-0, on March 5, 2022, marking the largest margin of victory in a road game in franchise history.
NOTABLES VS. SAN JOSE
- Josi has 26 points (6g-20a) in 32 career games against the Sharks, including four points (4g) on March 5, 2022.
- Forsberg is averaging just under a point per game vs. San Jose, posting 23 points (9g-14a) in 24 contests.
- Ryan O’Reilly leads current Predators skaters in career points against San Jose with 29 (10g-19a) in 41 games.
- Gustav Nyquist played in 19 games for San Jose in 2018-19, recording 11 points (6g-5a).
- San Jose’s Matt Benning (2020-22), Mikael Granlund (2019-23) and Luke Kunin (2020-22) are former Predators players.
- Sharks forward Thomas Bordeleau is the son of Predators Skills Coach Sebastien Bordeleau.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Forsberg (566) is one point from passing David Legwand (566) for the second-most in franchise history.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Dante Fabbro is three games from 300 in his NHL career.
- Alexandre Carrier is four games from 200 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Saturday’s game begins at 8:30 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.)
