The Nashville Predators will look to end the calendar year and their fourth back-to-back of the month in winning fashion as they face the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Saturday.
This is the second and final meeting between the two teams in 2023-24; it is the first and final meeting at Capital One Arena.
Puck drop is at 6 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
Filip Forsberg and Gustav Nyquist each registered two goals and an assist but the Detroit Red Wings handed Nashville their first overtime loss of the season in a 5-4 final at Little Caesars Arena on Friday.
Tommy Novak picked up his 10th assist of the season and Luke Schenn his second in the effort.
Roman Josi recorded the third fighting major of his career, while Jeremy Lauzon registered a team-high six hits. Lauzon continues to lead the League in hits with 132.
Juuse Saros made 18 saves and moved to 15-13-1 on the season. Nashville went 0-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg continues to lead the Predators in points (41), goals (18) and assists (23). Ryan O’Reilly is second in points with 29 (14g-15a) and Josi third with 28 (7g-21a).
With Saros receiving the start Friday and Kevin Lankinen still listed as day-to-day with an illness, Saturday’s starting goaltender is yet to be announced.
The Predators are fourth in the Central Division with 39 points and an 8-7-1 record on the road.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Capitals return home Saturday also looking to snap a three-game skid and close their fourth back-to-back of the month on a high note, after falling to the New York Islanders 5-1 on Friday, the New York Rangers 5-1 on Wednesday and the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 last Saturday.
Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome share the team lead in points with 20 each (6g-14a and 13g-7a, respectively). Strome leads the Capitals in goals, while John Carlson leads in assists with 18.
Goaltender Charlie Lindgren kicked off Washington’s back-to-back set on Friday but was replaced by Darcy Kuemper after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period.
Kuemper is 8-8-2 after 18 games, with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
The Capitals are sixth in the Metropolitan Division with 39 points and a 9-4-3 record at home.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 19-12-(1)-4 all-time against the Capitals, including an 8-7-(0)-2 record on the road. Nashville is 1-0-0 against Washington this season, earning a 3-1 win at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 16. Colton Sissons, Philip Tomasino (GWG) and Yakov Trenin scored for the Predators; Saros made 21 saves on 22 shots against.
The Predators are 2-3-0 in their last five games against the Capitals; they are 7-3-0 in their last 10; and 4-1-0 in their last five on the road. They went 1-1-0 against the Capitals in 2022-23, earning a 3-2 win at Capital One Arena on Jan. 6. Ryan McDonagh’s first goal with the Predators at 16:44 of the third period was the game-winner.
Nashville won eight straight games against Washington from Feb. 25, 2017-Jan. 29, 2020.
NOTABLES VS. WASHINGTON
- Forsberg has 17 points (8g-9a) in 16 career games against the team that drafted him 11th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. Forsberg was acquired from Washington for Martin Erat and Michael Latta on April 3, 2013.
- Josi recorded a seven-game point streak (4g-5a) against Washington from Feb. 9, 2016-Dec. 31, 2018. He has 15 points (5g-10a) in 19 career games vs. the Capitals.
- General Manager Barry Trotz won the 2018 Stanley Cup as head coach of the Capitals. He spent four seasons with Washington from 2014-18, going 205-89-34 in 328 games as head coach.
- Senior Advisor David Poile spent his first 15 years as an NHL GM at the helm of the Capitals from 1982-97.
- Head Coach Andrew Brunette was selected by Washington – with Poile as its GM – in the seventh round (174th overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft. He played the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Capitals, recording 40 points (18g-22a) in 62 games from 1995-98.
- Capitals prospect Hardy Haman Aktell was selected by Nashville in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
LINE ‘EM UP
Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Friday’s game against Detroit:
Forsberg - O'Reilly - Nyquist
Pärssinen - Novak - Glass
Trenin - Sissons - Evangelista
Smith - McCarron - Tomasino
McDonagh - Josi
Lauzon - Carrier
Fabbro - Schenn
Saros
Askarov
Scratches: Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Lankinen (illness, day-to-day), Sherwood
MILESTONE WATCH
- Josi (165) is two goals 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.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Saturday’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason 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 Hal Gill 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.
