LAST TIME OUT
Fueled by three-point performances from Nyquist (1g-2a) and Roman Josi (2g-1a), the Predators defeated the Senators, 4-1, at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday and followed their perfect five-game road trip up with their sixth straight win.
Tuesday’s win marked the first time since the 2010-11 season that Nashville posted multiple win streaks of at least six games in the same campaign; Nashville’s first six-game run of the 2023-24 campaign occurred from Nov. 18-28, 2023.
Josi recorded his first multi-goal game of the season and the 18th of his career, tying Viktor Arvidsson for the fourth-most multi-goal contests in franchise history behind Filip Forsberg (39), David Legwand (24) and Craig Smith (20). Tuesday was additionally Josi’s fourth three-point performance of the season and his first since Jan. 12 at Dallas (3a).
With a goal and a primary assist on both of Josi’s goals, Nyquist recorded his second three-point performance of the season and his first since Dec. 29 vs. the Detroit Red Wings (2g-1a). His three-point performance was Nyquist’s ninth multi-point game of the season and the second in his last three games.
Michael McCarron’s ninth goal of the season gave the forward goals in consecutive outings, a point in three straight games and five points (2g-3a) in his last seven outings. Cole Smith’s assist was the forward’s 13th of the season and gave him three points (2g-1a) in his last seven outings.
Tommy Novak recorded an assist to extend his point streak to five games (1g-4a); he has recorded two separate five-game point streaks in his last 11 outings and registered 11 points (4g-7a) during that span.
Nashville kept Ottawa without a single shot on net and recorded 19 of their own during the third period; it was the second time in franchise history the Predators have allowed zero shots on goal in the final frame and the first since Feb. 16, 2008 vs. the St. Louis Blues.
Juuse Saros made 24 saves and improved to 25-21-2 on the campaign.
The Predators improved to 33-25-2 on the campaign and 15-15-0 at Bridgestone Arena.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg leads the Predators in points (60) and goals (28); he is tied for 19th among NHL skaters in goals.
Josi leads his team and is fifth among NHL defenseman in assists (43) and points (57).
After 47 appearances, Saros has recorded a 2.91 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage; he is 5-2-0 in his last seven starts and posted a 2.68 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage during that span.
Kevin Lankinen is 8-4-0 after 17 appearances, with a 3.23 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
The Predators lead the NHL in hits (1,648) and hits per 60 minutes (27.3); defenseman Jeremy Lauzon leads the League in hits with 283.
Since their six-game winning streak began on Feb. 17, the Predators lead the NHL in regulation wins and share the lead in points (12) with the Detroit Red Wings; they have outscored their opponents 26-11 overall and 17-6 at even strength during that span. Since Nov. 18, the Predators are tied for fourth in the NHL in points (58).
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 68 points; they currently hold the Western Conference’s second Wild Card spot.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Wild enter Bridgestone Arena on Thursday trailing their Central Division rival by six points and with one game in hand; a Minnesota win would close the gap in the standings and earn the Wild its eighth win in its last 11 games.
Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild and is tied for 17th among NHL skaters in points (63). Joel Eriksson Ek leads his team in goals (28) and Mats Zuccarello leads in assists (39).
Rookies Brock Faber (34) and Marco Rossi (33) are second and third among NHL rookies in points. Faber leads all League rookies in assists (30), while Rossi shares the lead in goals (17) with No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard.
Filip Gustavsson is 16-14-3 after 35 appearances, including a 1-1-0 record against the Predators this season; he’s recorded a 3.23 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage this season.
Marc-Andre Fleury is 12-10-3 after 28 appearances, with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 45-28-(5)-9 all-time against the Wild, including a 27-10-(2)-5 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Minnesota in 2023-24; it is the second and final at home.
Nashville is 1-1-0 against Minnesota this season, earning a 3-2 win at Xcel Energy Center on Jan. 25. The Predators lost, 6-1, in the opening meeting between the two teams on Nov. 30 at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators are 3-2-0 in their last five games against the Wild; they are 6-3-1 in their last 10; and 3-1-1 in their last five at Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators have won 13 of their last 17 games vs. the Wild, a stretch that included a seven-game win streak from March 27, 2018-Oct. 24, 2019. Nashville allowed two-or-fewer goals in six of those seven wins.
NOTABLES VS. MINNESOTA
- Josi has 35 points (15g-20a) in 42 career games against Minnesota. He recorded a nine-game point streak vs. the Wild from Oct. 3, 2019-Feb. 19, 2023 (8g-5a), a run that included two four-point efforts.
- Forsberg scored his first career NHL goal on Oct. 8, 2013 vs. Minnesota. Forsberg’s 17 goals against the Wild are the third-most he’s scored against a single opponent in his NHL career. He posted a six-game point streak vs. Minnesota from Oct. 3, 2019-April 24, 2022 (5g-9a).
- Ryan McDonagh was named Minnesota’s “Mr. Hockey” as the state’s best high school player in 2006-07.
- Novak played four years for the University of Minnesota from 2015-19, winning back-to-back regular-season Big Ten titles in 2016 and 2017.
- Head Coach Andrew Brunette played six seasons for the Wild from 2001-04 and 2008-11, posting 321 points (119g-202a) in 489 games. He scored the OT winner in Game 7 of the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals against Colorado, helping Minnesota win its first-ever playoff series. He also previously served as an assistant coach (2014-16); special assistant to the GM (2016-17); assistant general manager (2017-18); and director of player personnel (2018-19) for Minnesota.
- Assistant Coach Todd Richards served as head coach of the Wild for two seasons from 2009-11.
- Wild Head Coach John Hynes served in the same role for the Predators for parts of four seasons from 2020-23, compiling a 134-96-18 record.
- Minnesota forwards Frederick Gaudreau (2016-19) and Ryan Hartman (2018-19) were previous members of the Predators.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Alexandre Carrier is one game from 200 in his NHL career.
- Colton Sissons is three games from 600 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Thursday’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analysts Chris Mason and Gill and rinkside reporter Kara Hammer will have the call on the television side.
Pete Weber and Jay More will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network, with pregame, postgame and intermission coverage by Max 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.)
