LAST TIME OUT
Filip Forsberg tallied twice to match the franchise’s single-season goals record (43) and four more Predators skaters scored as Nashville defeated the St. Louis Blues, 6-3, at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.
Forsberg added an assist to reach 87 points on the campaign (43g-44a), a career best and the second-most from a Predators player in a single season. His 43 goals on the season also bested a career high established in 2021-22 (42). Forsberg’s ninth multi-goal outing of the season additionally matched the franchise record, set by Matt Duchene in 2021-22.
Roman Josi scored 31 seconds into regulation - Nashville’s fastest opening goal of 2023-24 - for his 20th goal of the season. Josi (2) joined former captain Shea Weber (3) as the only other defenseman in Predators history with multiple 20-goal campaigns.
Anthony Beauvillier scored his first goal since joining the Predators at the trade deadline. Michael McCarron notched his 12th goal and third game-winner of the season, a career high. Mark Jankowski scored on the empty net for his seventh goal of the season.
Gustav Nyquist reached 300 career assists factoring on Forsberg’s first goal, then added two more for his fourth three-point performance of the season. Ryan O’Reilly recorded two assists for his 18th multi-point outing of the season.
Nashville’s power play went 2-for-3, and their penalty kill 5-for-6.
Juuse Saros’ 44-save performance established a season-high for the netminder, who improved to 33-23-4 with the win.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg leads the Predators in points and goals; he is 12th and tied for seventh among NHL skaters in each respective category.
Josi leads his team and is sixth among League defensemen in assists (57); Nashville’s captain additionally leads all NHL blueliners in goals.
Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon leads the League in hits (351); he needs 32 to pass the NHL’s single-season record (382), recorded by Matt Martin in 2014-15.
Saros is 13-2-2 in his last 17 starts, with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage during that span. Kevin Lankinen is 4-1-0 in his last five starts, with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in that span.
Since Feb. 17, the Predators have accumulated the most points (36) and wins (17) in the NHL, scored the most goals per game (4) and allowed the third-fewest goals per game (2.5).
Nashville holds the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot with 92 points and a 22-12-3 record on the road. As of Saturday morning, their magic number for clinching a playoff berth is four.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Islanders enter Saturday’s contest desperate to pad their recently regained postseason position and distance themselves from a number of closely trailing opponents.
Mathew Barzal leads the Islanders in points (78), Bo Horvat leads in goals (32) and Noah Dobson leads in assists (58).
Ilya Sorokin is 24-19-11 after 54 appearances, with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage; he is 0-1-0 against Nashville this season.
Semyon Varlamov is 10-8-4 after 24 appearances, with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
New York is third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points and a 17-10-10 record at UBS Arena; they hold a point percentage tie breaker over the Philadelphia Flyers (WC2) and lead the trailing Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings by one point and the Pittsburgh Penguins by two points.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 23-8-(0)-3 all-time against the Islanders, including a 10-4-(0)-2 record on the road. This is the second and final matchup between Nashville and New York in 2023-24; it is the first and only at UBS Arena.
Nashville is 1-0-0 against New York this season, earning a 3-1 win at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 13. The Predators are 5-0-0 in their last five games against the Islanders; they are 10-0-0 in their last 10; and 5-0-0 in their last five on the road.
In a run that began on Feb. 5, 2018, Nashville has won 10 games in a row against New York, tied for its longest active win streak vs. a single opponent (San Jose). It is tied for the third-longest active winning streak against a single franchise in the NHL. The Predators have earned at least a point in 13 of their last 14 meetings with the Islanders (12-1-1).
Nashville’s only 3-on-5 goal in franchise history came against the Islanders on Oct. 15, 2002 (Karlis Skrastins).
NOTABLES VS. NEW YORK
- Forsberg has 16 points (8g-8a) in 17 career games against the Islanders, including points in seven of his last 10 games (6g-5a).
- Josi has 11 points (2g-9a) in his last eight games vs. New York. He recorded his seventh career four-point outing on Nov. 17, 2022 against the Islanders, tallying four assists.
- Beauvillier was selected by New York in the first round (28th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. He recorded 209 points (102g-107a) in 457 games with the Islanders from 2016-23.
- General Manager Barry Trotz served as head coach of the Islanders for four seasons from 2018-22, recording a 152-102-34 record and reaching at least the second round of the playoffs three times.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Forsberg needs one goal to pass the franchise’s single-season goals record (43); he is two points from 600 in his NHL career.
- Nyquist is one point from 500 and three goals from 200 in his NHL career.
- Luke Evangelista is two games from 100 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Tyson Barrie is four assists from 400 in his NHL career.
- Jason Zucker is five goals from 200 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Saturday’s game begins at 6 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.
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. (El partido también se transmite en español por El Jefe en 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM y 810 AM.)
