GAME DAY: Canucks vs. Preds, Game 6

The Nashville Predators look to knot their First Round series once more and force a Game 7 when they face the Vancouver Canucks at Bridgestone Arena for Game 6 on Friday.

Though the Predators enjoyed the emotional highs of a gutsy, series-extending road win on Tuesday, the team knows an ‘Etch-a-Sketch’ mentality is needed if they want to ice another winning performance in Game 6.

“[The win] gives us some momentum, but you’ve also got to just focus on Game 6,” Predators forward Michael McCarron said. “We’ve got to win to stay alive again, so we're going to need the same effort and the same mindset going into our game on Friday. I think if we keep the same mindset that we had going into last game, it’ll give us the best chance to win.”

Dropping both their games at Bridgestone Arena this series, the Predators aren’t letting themselves get too comfortable with a home-ice advantage either. Regardless of where they’re playing, the Predators know they need to play their best hockey yet on Friday.

“I think the message is that we’ve got to play much better than we played in Game 5,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “It’s kind of one day and one game at a time here. Home ice means nothing, as we've figured out. It's more about our game and our game has to be a little bit better.”

Puck drop is at 6 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, TNT, truTV, MAX, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio.

Click here to get tickets and learn everything you need to know below:

MORNING SKATE SKINNY

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Arrive early and bring the Smashville noise as the Predators host the Canucks for Game 6 on Friday. Click here to learn more about the Predators pregame playoff activations.

LAST TIME OUT

Roman Josi and Alexandre Carrier each scored in the third period and Juuse Saros made 19 saves as the Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 2-1, in Game 5 at Rogers Arena.

Josi’s third-period marker was his first goal of the series and gave Nashville their second power-play goal in 19 opportunities. The goal was additionally the 12th of Josi’s postseason career, tied as the seventh-most in franchise history alongside forward Viktor Arvidsson.

Carrier’s goal was the first of his postseason career and gave the defenseman his third point of the 2024 playoffs (1g-2a).

Factoring on both goals, Filip Forsberg exited the game with a team-high two points for his second multi-point performance of these playoffs and the 15th of his postseason career.

Tuesday was the third-straight game to see Nashville outnumber Vancouver in both shots on goal (22-20) and shot attempts (57-55); Jason Zucker led the Predators with four shots on goal.

Per NHL PR, Tuesday’s win was the second third-period comeback win in a potential elimination game in Predators history, following Game 6 of the 2016 Second Round vs. the San Jose Sharks.

THE GOOD GUYS

Through five games, Forsberg leads the Predators in points (6), goals (2) and assists (4).

Saros is 2-3, with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .879 save percentage.

Fourteen different Predators skaters have recorded at least a point in the series so far.

Forward Kiefer Sherwood leads the League in hits (31) and hits per 60 minutes (30.67) after five games.

THE OTHER GUYS

J.T. Miller leads the Canucks in points (6) and shares the team lead in assists (5) with Quinn Hughes. Brock Boeser leads the Canucks in goals (4).

Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko is considered week-to-week with an undisclosed injury and is likely to miss Game 6. Backup netminder Casey DeSmith - who split Games 2 and 3 - missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury and served as backup to Arturs Silovs in Game 5.

Silovs recorded his first career postseason win in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in Game 4, stopping 27 shots en route to a Canucks overtime victory. He made 20 saves in Vancouver’s Game 5 loss.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet did not confirm a starter for Game 6.

SERIES NOTES

• Per Sportsnet Stats, Nashville’s 92 shots on goal allowed are the second-fewest through the first five games of any playoff series since the stat began being tracked in 1959-60.
• This is the 11th time in Predators history the team has trailed 3-2 in a playoff series, going 1-10 (1-7 when starting on the road). Nashville trailed its 2016 Western Conference First Round series against Anaheim, 3-2, before winning Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road.
• Filip Forsberg’s six points (2g-4a) are his most in a single postseason since 2018 when he had 16 (7g-9a). Forsberg owns 13 points (7g-6a) in 14 career games when his team is facing elimination, the most among all team skaters.
• Alexandre Carrier (Game 5), Luke Evangelista (Game 3), Mark Jankowski (Game 4) and Kiefer Sherwood (Game 2) have each scored their first career playoff goals.
• Roman Josi appeared in his 90th career playoff contest in Game 5, the most among all players in franchise history.
• The Predators are 7-15 all-time when facing elimination.

WATCH & LISTEN

Coverage for Game 6 begins at 5:30 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 Bally Sports South side, while play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke, analyst Darren Pang and rinkside reporter Nabil Karim will have the call on the TNT/truTV/MAX 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.)