GAME DAY: Preds at Canucks, January 3

The Nashville Predators will begin the 2025 calendar year tonight in Vancouver against the Canucks for a 9 p.m. CT puck drop at Rogers Arena. Tonight’s contest is the second of three meetings between the two clubs this season; the Preds defeated the Canucks back in November.

The Predators had a successful homestand prior to the holiday break, but they finished off 2024 with a trio of losses, including a back-to-back set in Winnipeg and Minnesota, the latter of which came on New Year’s Eve. Now, the Preds will turn their attention to the remaining three games of their trip - a swing back through western Canada - that begins tonight in Vancouver.

“Certain nights, the goaltending, the penalty killing, taking too many penalties, lose momentum; those things, that's been the story of the year,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said following Tuesday’s loss in Minnesota. “It's been, you plug one hole, it's another hole. Give a lot of credit to the group, they’re still fighting. I thought they showed a lot of resolve today. Never gave in, never gave up, and when we get through this, we'll be better for it. We just have to believe that and keep putting the work in.”

On Thursday, the Predators recalled forward Ozzy Wiesblatt and defenseman Spencer Stastney from Milwaukee (AHL), and both players participated in yesterday’s practice in Vancouver.

Defenseman Adam Wilsby (upper-body, day-to-day) and Jeremy Lauzon (lower-body) were both absent for practice in Vancouver. Wilsby did not play in Minnesota, and Lauzon left Tuesday’s game and did not return.

On Thursday afternoon, the NHL announced a three-game suspension for Preds forward Zach L’Heureux following an incident in Tuesday’s game at Minnesota. L’Heureux will miss Nashville’s next three games, including tonight’s contest at Vancouver.

Update: The Preds have recalled forward Fedor Svechkov from Milwaukee (AHL) and placed defenseman Adam Wilsby on Injured Reserve.

Last Time Out:

Colton Sissons, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly all tallied in Nashville’s 5-3 loss in Minnesota on New Year’s Eve. Goaltender Justus Annunen took the loss in net as the Preds surrendered three power-play goals to the Wild.

The Good Guys:

Filip Forsberg leads the Preds with 30 points (9g-21a), followed by Marchessault (14g-13a) with 27 points and Roman Josi (7g-17a) with 24 points. Steven Stamkos has 11 goals and 23 points; O’Reilly has nine tallies and 22 points. Juuse Saros is 8-16-6 in net; Annunen is 8-6-0 overall.

The Opposition:

The Canucks won in a shootout last night in Seattle against the Kraken - 4-3 was the final. Vancouver Captain Quinn Hughes, who did not play against the Kraken due to injury, leads the Canucks with 42 points (8g-34a), followed by Elias Pettersson (10g-18a), who also did not play last night, with 28 points. Conor Garland (10g-19a) has 29 points on the season, Jake DeBrusk has 16 goals and 28 points, while Brock Boeser has 14 goals and 25 points. Netminder Thatcher Demko, who left last night’s game due to injury, is 2-1-3 this season; former Preds goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who got the win in relief, is 15-6-4.

All-Time Meetings:

The Predators are 36-42-(2)-7 all-time against the Canucks, including a 17-24-(1)-1 record at Rogers Arena.

The Predators are 1-3-1 in their last five games against the Canucks; they are 5-4-1 in their last 10; and 3-1-1 in their last five on the road.

The two teams met in the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs; Vancouver won the series, 4-2. Filip Forsberg led Nashville with six points (2g-4a) in the six-game series. It was the second time they have met in the postseason – in the first meeting, the 2011 Western Conference Semifinals, the Canucks won, 4-2.

Notables Versus Vancouver:

Jonathan Marchessault has recorded 25 points (11g-14a) in 23 career games against Vancouver. That is the fourth-most points he has recorded against a single franchise in his career. He has points in his last three meetings with Vancouver (3g-1a).

Steven Stamkos has collected 30 points (18g-12a) in 21 games against the Canucks. His 1.43 points per game against Vancouver are the most he has recorded against any team (min. 3 GP).

Juuse Saros is 6-2-1 in his career against Vancouver in the regular season.

North Vancouver native Colton Sissons has 11 points (7g-4a) in 23 career games against the Canucks.

Roman Josi has points in eight of his last 12 games (2g-7a) against Vancouver. He also has 18 points (2g-16a) in his last 21 games vs. the Canucks and posted a six-game point streak (7a) against Vancouver from Jan. 10, 2017-Dec. 13, 2018.

Luke Schenn played in 139 games for the Canucks from 2018-19 and 2021-23, posting 40 points (8g-32a).

Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (2022-24) and goaltender Kevin Lankinen (2022-24) previously played for the Predators.

Watch & Listen:

Coverage for tonight’s game begins at 8:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side.

Max Herz and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. 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.)