LAST TIME OUT
Cody Glass recorded his first career hat trick and Juuse Saros made 25 saves as the Predators defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 5-1, to earn their eighth win in a row on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena.
Glass’ first goal of the game cracked the score in favor of the home team, while his second earned him his first game-winning goal of the season and the first multi-goal performance of his career.
Ryan O’Reilly scored on the man advantage for his 22nd goal of the season and his 13th on the power play; Nashville scored on the power play twice for the eighth time this season.
Tommy Novak (1g-1a) and Ryan McDonagh (2a) each recorded two points.
Nashville outshot Colorado by a 16-7 margin and scored three unanswered goals in the third period.
The Predators matched the second-longest winning streak in franchise history, established during the 2005-06 season, and improved to 35-25-2 on the campaign and 17-15-0 at Bridgestone Arena.
THE GOOD GUYS
Filip Forsberg leads the Predators in points (62) and goals (29); he is tied for 18th among NHL skaters in goals.
Josi, named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday, recorded seven points (3g-4a) in three games, including consecutive three-point outings on Feb. 27 vs. Ottawa (2g-1a) and Thursday vs. Minnesota (1g-2a). Josi leads his team and is fifth among NHL defensemen in assists (46); Nashville’s captain shares the lead among League blueliners in goals (15).
Saros is 26-21-2 after 49 appearances, with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage; he has won each of his last six starts, posting a 1.34 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage during that span.
Kevin Lankinen is 8-4-0 in 17 appearances, with a 3.23 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
The Predators lead the NHL in hits (1,688) and hits per 60 minutes (27.1); defenseman Jeremy Lauzon leads the League in hits with 292.
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 72 points; the Predators currently hold the Western Conference’s second Wild Card spot.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Canadiens enter Bridgestone Arena looking for their first win on a four-game road trip, after falling by a 4-3 shootout decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and the same to the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens in points (59) and goals (24) and shares the team lead in assists (35) with Mike Matheson.
Jake Allen is confirmed to receive the start against Nashville on Tuesday; he is 5-12-3 in 20 appearances and 0-1-0 against the Predators this season, with a 3.68 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
Montreal is seventh in the Atlantic Division with 56 points and an 11-12-7 record on the road.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 17-8-(1)-6 all-time against the Canadiens, including a 9-1-(1)-4 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the second and final matchup between Nashville and Montreal in 2023-24; it is the first and only at home.
Nashville is 1-0-0 against Montreal this season, earning a 2-1 win in the second half of a back-to-back on Dec. 10 at the Bell Centre that saw Juuse Saros make 36 saves. The Predators are 3-2-0 in their last five games against the Canadiens; they are 8-2-0 in their last 10; and 4-0-1 in their last five at Bridgestone Arena.
Nashville has picked up at least a point in 18 of its last 21 meetings with Montreal (14-3-4) and has only lost three times in regulation since Jan. 15, 2009. The Predators are currently on an 11-game home point streak against the Canadiens (7-0-4). In 21 contests since the 2009-10 season, Nashville has limited Montreal to an average of two goals per game, including 16 games in which the Predators have given up two or fewer goals.
On Nov. 14, 2009, the Predators put a franchise-record 55 shots on goal and outshot the Canadiens by a club-record 35 shots, and Pekka Rinne made 20 saves in a 2-0 victory at Bridgestone Arena.
NOTABLES VS. MONTREAL
- Josi has 14 points (2g-12a) in 17 career games against the Canadiens. He had two assists on Dec. 10 at Montreal.
- Alexandre Carrier is a native of Quebec City, Que., and played four seasons for Gatineau in the QMJHL from 2012-16.
- Lauzon is a native of Val-d’Or, Que., and played his junior hockey for Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) from 2013-17.
- McDonagh was drafted by Montreal in the first round (12th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.
- Michael McCarron was drafted by Montreal in the first round (25th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. He had eight points (2g-6a) in 69 games for the Canadiens from 2015-18.
- Assistant Coach Todd Richards was selected by Montreal in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1985 NHL Draft.
- Skills Coach Sebastien Bordeleau was drafted by Montreal in the third round (73rd overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft. He played in 85 games for Montreal from 1995-98, posting 25 points (8g-17a).
- Predators prospect Zachary L’Heureux (2020 first rounder) is a Montreal native.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Colton Sissons is one game from 600 and three points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 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, analyst Chris Mason 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.)
