The Nashville Predators will look to complete a perfect two-game homestand on Thursday as they face the Calgary Flames at Bridgestone Arena.
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
Juuse Saros collected his second shutout of the season and the Predators their first win of 2024 as Nashville defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-0, at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.
Saros’ 21-save shutout was the 22nd of his career and moved the netminder to 16-13-1 on the season.
Gustav Nyquist registered a goal and an assist and extended his point streak to six games (5g-4a). Ryan O’Reilly additionally recorded a goal and an assist against the Blackhawks, while Luke Evangelista scored his second goal in as many games, cashing in on the empty net.
Roman Josi (22), Filip Forsberg (24) and Luke Schenn (3) each picked up assists in the effort as well.
The result moved Nashville to 21-16-1 on the season and handed them their second-straight win and their third with at least a point.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg leads the Predators in points (42), goals (18) and assists (24). O’Reilly is second in points with 32 (15g-17a) and Josi third with 30 (8g-22a).
Saros is 16-13-1 after 20 games, with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. Kevin Lankinen is 4-3-0 after 10 games, with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
The Predators are 16-6-1 in their last 23 games; since Nov. 18, they have additionally led the NHL in points with 33 (16-6-1).
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 43 points and a 12-9-0 record at Bridgestone Arena.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Flames arrive in Music City on Thursday looking for their third-straight win in the second of a three-game road trip.
Blake Coleman leads the Flames in points (27) and goals (14), while Nazem Kadri and Elias Lindholm share the team lead in assists with 16 each.
Netminder Jacob Markstrom is 10-10-2 after 22 games, with a 2.65 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and a 1-1-0 record against Nashville in 2023-24. Dan Vladar is 5-4-2 after 11 games, with a 3.40 goals-against average and a .886 save percentage.
Calgary is sixth in the Pacific Division with 37 points and a 7-9-4 record on the road.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 42-26-(4)-13 all-time against the Flames, including a 23-12-(1)-8 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the third and final matchup between Nashville and Calgary in 2023-24; it is the second and final at home.
Nashville is 1-1-0 against Calgary this season, earning a 4-2 victory in the most-recent meeting at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 22. The two teams opened their season series on Nov. 7 in Calgary, a 4-2 loss for the Predators.
The Predators are 4-1-0 in their last five games against the Flames; they are 8-1-1 in their last 10; and 4-0-1 in their last five at home. Nashville went 3-0-0 against Calgary last season, outscoring the Flames by a combined 9-4.
The Predators have only lost four times in regulation to the Flames since Dec. 15, 2015 (13-4-6) and have picked up at least one point in 28 of their last 36 games (20-8-8). Nashville last lost in regulation to Calgary at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 9, 2018 (4-0-2).
NOTABLES VS. CALGARY
- Josi has six goals and 20 assists in 33 career games vs. Calgary.
- Forsberg leads all Nashville skaters with 12 goals in 25 career games against the Flames.
- Tyson Barrie has 27 points (3g-24a) in 42 career meetings with Calgary; 11 of those points have come on the power play (11a).
- Saros is 9-2-1 with a .928 save percentage and 2.44 goals-against average in 13 career games vs. the Flames.
- Flames Assistant Coach Dan Lambert spent four seasons with the Predators in the same role from 2019-23.
LINE ‘EM UP
Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Tuesday’s game against Chicago:
Forsberg - O'Reilly - Nyquist
Smith - Novak - Evangelista
Pärssinen - Sissons - Sherwood
Trenin - McCarron - Tomasino
Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Schenn
Lauzon - Carrier
Saros
Lankinen
Scratches: Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Glass
MILESTONE WATCH
- 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.
- Lankinen is two games from 100 in his NHL career.
- Barrie is two games from 800 in his NHL career.
- Forsberg is four assists from 300 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. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analysts Chris Mason and Hal Gill 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.)
