GAME DAY: Blackhawks vs. Preds, Jan. 2

The Nashville Predators will ring in the New Year eager to collect another two points against the Central Division rival Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.

While they split their final back-to-back of December over the weekend, the Predators were largely satisfied with their effort in both games, and will look to carry the momentum over into Tuesday.

“I thought we played two solid games,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “It was nice to get the result on Saturday. Friday was probably not the result we were looking for, but I thought we played our kind of game. We made a few mistakes at the wrong times, which has been kind of a recurring theme here, but we’ll try to build off Saturday.”

Going without a win at Bridgestone Arena since Dec. 16, the Predators have also resolved to give their home crowd a big win to kick off their 2024 slate.

“Our home record here for the last little while has been a little bothersome for our group,” Brunette said. “[Tuesday] hopefully we understand that, and it'd be great to start the new year off with a big home win.”

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

Predators rookie netminder Yaroslav Askarov made 27 saves in the first win of his NHL career on Saturday as Nashville defeated the Washington Capitals in a 3-2 shootout final at Capital One Arena.

Captain Roman Josi recorded his 166th career goal, tying former Predators Captain Shea Weber for the most goals by a defenseman in franchise history.

Luke Evangelista tallied his fifth goal of the season, while Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly each tallied in the shootout to hand Nashville the win. Nyquist additionally extended his point streak to five games (4g-3a) assisting on Josi’s first period power play goal.

O’Reilly picked up his 16th assist of the season, while Tommy Novak picked up his 11th and Dante Fabbro his sixth.

Kiefer Sherwood led the Predators with five hits.

The result handed Nashville their 20th win of the season and erased a three-game skid to close out 2023.

THE GOOD GUYS

Filip Forsberg leads the Predators in points (41), goals (18) and assists (23). Ryan O’Reilly is second with 30 points (14g-16a) and Roman Josi third with 29 (8g-21a).

Juuse Saros is 15-13-1 after 29 games, with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Kevin Lankinen, who was cleared from illness on Sunday, is 4-3-0 after 10 games, with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.

Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon leads the Predators and the NHL in hits with 136 in 37 games.

Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 41 points and an 11-9-0 record at Bridgestone Arena.

THE OTHER GUYS

The Blackhawks arrive in Music City on Tuesday looking to collect the first win of their five-game road trip and ice a vastly improved effort from their last outing, an 8-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on New Year’s Eve.

No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard leads the Hawks in points (33), goals (15) and assists (18). Bedard additionally leads all NHL rookies in each category.

Goaltender Petr Mrazek is 9-12-1 after 24 games, with a 3.24 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Arvid Soderblom is 2-11-1 after 16 games, with a 4.22 goals-against average, a .868 save percentage and a 0-1-1 record against Nashville this season.

The Blackhawks have suffered their share of injuries this season, most recently with forward Tyler Johnson, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with a foot injury. Forwards Taylor Hall, Taylor Raddysh, Joey Anderson, Andreas Athanasiou and defenseman Seth Jones are also currently on IR for Chicago.

Chicago is eighth in the Central Division with 24 points and a 4-14-1 record on the road.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS

The Predators are 67-51-(4)-12 all-time against the Blackhawks, including a 37-23-(3)-3 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Chicago in 2023-24; it is the second and final at home.

Nashville is 2-0-0 against Chicago this season, picking up a 4-3 shootout victory in the last meeting on Dec. 5 at the United Center. The Predators also claimed a 4-2 win at home over the Blackhawks on Nov. 18. The Predators are 4-1-0 in their last five games against the Blackhawks; they are 8-1-1 in their last 10; and 4-1-0 in their last five at home.

The Predators have earned at least a point in 25 of their last 29 games against the Blackhawks (21-4-4), holding Chicago to two-or-fewer goals 24 times in that span. Nashville recorded a 16-game point streak against Chicago from Jan. 9, 2020-March 4, 2023 (13-0-3), tied for its longest point streak against a single opponent in franchise history (16 GP vs. Columbus from Nov. 15, 2006-March 28, 2008).

The Predators went 7-0-1 vs. the Blackhawks in 2020-21, their most wins against Chicago in a single season in team history. Nashville outscored Chicago 25-14, allowing two-or-fewer goals in seven of those contests. The team’s seven wins against Chicago in 2020-21 were its most vs. a single opponent in a season since 2007-08 (seven vs. Columbus).

This will be the 135th time the Predators and Blackhawks clash in the regular season, Nashville’s most games played against a single opponent.

NOTABLES VS. CHICAGO

• Saros is 11-3-2 with a 2.10 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout in 17 career appearances vs. the Blackhawks.
• Lankinen played the first 69 games of his NHL career with Chicago from 2020-22. He went 25-29-11 and posted a 3.23 goals-against average and .901 save percentage for the Blackhawks. He faced Chicago for the first time on Nov. 18 and earned the win, stopping 29 of 31 shots.
• Dante Fabbro (April 6, 2019) and Tommy Novak (Dec. 17, 2021) both scored their first career NHL goals against Chicago.
• Former Nashville goaltender and current European Development Coach and Scout Pekka Rinne scored his first career NHL goal on Jan. 9, 2020 at Chicago.
• Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones was drafted fourth overall by the Predators in 2013; he skated in 199 games for Nashville from 2013-16, tallying 63 points (15g-48a).
• Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi played in 35 games with the Predators from 2019-21.
• Chicago forward Colin Blackwell made his NHL debut with Nashville on Jan. 19, 2019 vs. Florida and appeared in 33 games across parts of two seasons for the Predators from 2018-20.

LINE ‘EM UP

Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Saturday’s game against Washington:

Forsberg - O'Reilly - Nyquist
Pärssinen - Sissons - Sherwood
Smith - Novak - Evangelista
Trenin - McCarron - Tomasino

McDonagh - Josi
Lauzon - Carrier
Fabbro - Schenn

Askarov
Saros

Scratches: Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Glass, Lankinen (illness, day-to-day)

MILESTONE WATCH

• Roman Josi (166) is one goal from passing Shea Weber (166) for the most by a defenseman and the third-most among all skaters in Predators history.
• Kevin Lankinen is two games from 100 in his NHL career.
• Tyson Barrie is two games from 800 in his NHL career.
• Filip Forsberg is five assists from 300 in his NHL career.

WATCH & LISTEN

Coverage for Tuesday’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 rinkside reporter Kara Hammer will have the call on the television side. The game can also be streamed live on Fubo; click here for a 14-day free trial.

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.)