The Good Guys:
Jakub Vrana scored the lone goal for the Preds over their last two outings, and Justus Annunen took the 1-0 overtime loss in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Filip Forsberg continues to lead the Preds with 25 goals and 59 points, followed by Jonathan Marchessault (19g-29a) with 48 points. Steven Stamkos has 22 goals and 42 points on the season; Ryan O’Reilly has 16 goals and 42 points. Michael Bunting, who played his first two games with the Preds in Southern California, has 14 goals and 29 points in 60 games overall this season. Juuse Saros is 16-26-6 in net; Annunen is 14-9-1.
The Opposition:
The Blues won back-to-back games over the weekend, including a 7-2 victory over Anaheim on Sunday. Jordan Kyrou leads the team with 27 goals and 56 points, followed by Robert Thomas (17g-38a) with 55 points and Dylan Holloway (22g-29a) with 51 points. Jordan Binnington is 21-21-4 in net; Joel Hofer is 12-7-3.
All-Time Meetings:
The Predators are 64-49-(4)-13 all-time against the Blues, including a 35-19-(3)-7 mark at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville is 5-4-1 in their last 10 overall against St. Louis and 3-2-0 in their last five at home.
Nashville has won 17 of its last 28 games against St. Louis – including 15 of its last 25 – and has scored at least four goals in 13 of those wins.
Ryan O’Reilly played 327 games for St. Louis from 2018-23, recording 269 points (97g-172a). He won the 2019 Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy with the Blues.
Notables Versus St. Louis:
Steven Stamkos has recorded 21 points (8g-13a) in 21 career games against the Blues. He has 10 points (2g-8a) in his last eight games against St. Louis.
Jonathan Marchessault has 22 points (14g-8a) in 26 career games against the Blues. He has found the scoresheet in his past five games against the Blues (4g-2a).
Filip Forsberg has produced at a point-per-game rate against St. Louis in his career, recording 20 goals and 24 assists in 39 meetings with Nashville’s Central Division rival.
Assistant General Manager, Director of Player Development and Milwaukee Admirals General Manager Scott Nichol concluded his NHL career by playing two seasons in St. Louis from 2011-13, skating in 110 games.
Milestone Watch:
Juuse Saros is one game from 400 and two wins from 200 in his NHL career.
Nick Blankenburg is one game from 100 in his NHL career.
Steven Stamkos (577) is one goal from passing Mark Recchi (577) for the 22nd-most in NHL history.
Ryan O’Reilly is two goals from 300 in his NHL career.
Watch & Listen:
Coverage for tonight’s contest begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analyst Chris Mason and rinkside reporter Kara Hammer will have the call on the television side.
Voice of the Predators 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.)
