The Nashville Predators are back at American Airlines Center on Friday for their second outing in as many weeks against the Central Division rival Dallas Stars, and the first half of their only back-to-back set of the month.
The Preds will look to not only duplicate their success from a 4-3 win over the Stars on Saturday, but make a statement following a disappointing loss at home on Tuesday.
“That's the beauty of hockey,” Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier said following team practice on Wednesday. “You learn from the game we just had, you learn from the downs, and then you’ve got to just turn the page. We play 82 games in a season, so you always have redemption. We have a great opportunity this weekend in back-to-back games to show up and compete and make the best out of it.”
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CT with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, NHL Network, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here’s everything you need to know:
LAST TIME OUT
Carrier, Philip Tomasino and Denis Gurianov each tallied within a 10-minute span in the third period, but the late push proved too little, too late as the Preds fell by a 5-3 decision to the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.
Allowing three goals within a seven-minute span in the first period - Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette called the opening frame Nashville’s “worst period of the year” - the Predators found themselves chasing a game early and falling short of their own expectations.
“We’ve got to be ready to play,” Carrier said on Wednesday. “Even if it’s a Tuesday night, it doesn't matter. We're at home, we want to bring the fans together and bring them up and give us an edge at the same time. But we’ve got to do that together and be more connected and ready when the puck drops.”
Carrier’s tally on the penalty kill was the blueliner’s first career shorthanded goal. Tomasino’s was his fifth of the season, while Gurianov netted his first as a Predator in his second game with the team.
Assisting Carrier’s SHG, Gustav Nyquist extended his point streak to nine games (6g-7a) and matched his season-high streak from Nov. 9-28 (2g-9a). The forward is one game away from matching a career-high 10-game point streak recorded in 2013-14.
Michael McCarron recorded two assists for his second multi-point game of the season, his first since Nov. 28 vs. Pittsburgh. Additionally, Roman Josi collected his 24th assist of the season and Juuso Pärssinen his fourth.
Nashville went 0-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Juuse Saros made 28 saves in the loss and moved to 16-15-1; the Predators moved to 22-18-1 on the season and 12-11-0 at home.
THE GOOD GUYS
Filip Forsberg leads the Predators in points (45) and goals (21) and shares a team-high 24 assists with Josi. Forsberg is additionally tied for eighth in the NHL in points and tied for seventh in goals.
Ryan O’Reilly is second in points with 35 (15g-20a) and Nqyuist third with 33 (10g-23a).
Saros has a 3.09 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in 32 games. Kevin Lankinen is 5-3-0 in 12 games played, with a 3.14 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 45 points and a 10-7-1 record on the road.
THE OTHER GUYS
Jason Robertson leads the Stars in points (41) and assists (26), while Roope Hintz leads in goals (17).
Stars Head Coach Peter DeBoer confirmed goaltender Jake Oettinger could return to action on Friday; the netminder has been out since Dec. 15 when he suffered a lower-body injury during a game against the Ottawa Senators.
Oettinger is 11-7-2 in 21 games, with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Backup netminder Scott Wedgewood is 12-4-3 overall and 1-1-0 against the Predators this season, with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage.
Dallas is third in the Central Division with 53 points and a 13-7-2 record at home.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 49-51-(1)-5 all-time against the Stars, including an 18-31-(0)-3 record on the road. This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Dallas in 2023-24; it is the second and final at American Airlines Center.
Nashville is 1-1-0 against Dallas this season, most recently picking up a 4-3 win on the road on Saturday. Forsberg (2g), Nyquist (1g-1a) and O’Reilly (2a) each had two points for Nashville.
The Predators are 1-4-0 in their last five games against the Stars; they are 4-6-0 in their last 10; and 2-3-0 in their last five on the road. The Predators went 0-4-0 against the Stars last season, dropping the four contests by a combined score of 17-5.
Nashville has scored at least four goals (including the shootout winner) in 12 of its last 21 victories over Dallas. Nashville and Dallas met in the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, with the Predators falling, 4-2, in front of 85,630 fans – the second-most attended NHL game in history. Matt Duchene and Dante Fabbro scored for the Predators.
NOTABLES VS. DALLAS
- Saros is 12-9-1 in his career vs. Dallas, posting three shutouts, a 2.56 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 22 games.
- Lankinen is 5-2-1 in eight career games against the Stars.
- Josi owns 33 career points (12g-21a) vs. the Stars, tied for the second-most against a single opponent in his NHL career.
- Forsberg has 14 goals and 26 points in 40 career meetings with Dallas. His 14 goals against the Stars are his fourth-most against an individual team in his career.
- McCarron (Dec. 19, 2015) and Ryan McDonagh (Jan. 7, 2011) made their NHL debuts against Dallas.
- Stars forwards Matt Duchene (2019-23), Craig Smith (2011-20) and defenseman Ryan Suter (2005-12) are former Predators players.
LINE ‘EM UP
Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Tuesday’s game against Anaheim:
Forsberg - O'Reilly - Nyquist
Pärssinen - Sissons - Gurianov
Smith - Novak - Evangelista
Tomasino - Glass - McCarron
Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Schenn
Lauzon - Carrier
Saros
Lankinen
Scratches: Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Sherwood, Trenin
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.
- Tyson Barrie is two games from 800 in his NHL career.
- Forsberg is four assists from 300 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is five points from 200 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Friday’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 and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side. The game will also be broadcast on NHL Network.
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.)
