GAME DAY: Rangers vs. Preds, Dec. 2

The Nashville Predators (11-11-0) will look to get back to their winning ways as they host the red-hot New York Rangers (16-4-1) for a Saturday matinee at Bridgestone Arena.

Puck drop is at 3:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here's everything you need to know:

LAST TIME OUT

On Thursday, the Predators saw their six-game win streak snapped after a 6-1 loss to the Central Division rival Minnesota Wild.

Forward Juuso Pärssinen tallied Nashville’s lone goal of the game, and despite four chances, the Predators came up empty-handed on the power play against Minnesota.

With New York entering Bridgestone Arena Saturday with one of the hottest power plays in the NHL (29.2%) and a frustratingly effective penalty kill to match (85.7%), Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said he’ll be looking for improvements from his group’s special teams units.

“Our power play the last two games I haven’t particularly liked - we just were not sharp,” Brunette said at practice on Friday. “The Rangers are going to be a big test all around and on both sides of the puck. Their power play is one of the best in the League, and our PK has been going pretty good - I didn’t particularly like it last night - but we’re going to need both to be much better than they were [Thursday].”

After goaltender Kevin Lankinen filled in for Juuse Saros one minute into the second period on Thursday, Brunette says Saturday’s starter is still being discussed.

Thursday’s contest additionally featured a combined 34 penalty minutes (NSH 17, MIN 17), five of which came from defenseman Luke Schenn, who recorded his first fighting major with Nashville.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS

The Predators are 16-16-(1)-2 all-time against the Rangers, including a 6-8-(0)-2 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the second and final matchup between Nashville and New York in 2023-24; it is the first and only at home.

The Predators are 3-2-0 in their last five games against the Rangers; they are 6-4-0 in their last 10; and 2-3-0 in their last five at home. Nashville is 1-0-0 against New York in 2023-24, earning a 4-1 win at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 19. Cole Smith recorded his first career multi-goal game (2g) in the victory.

Nashville went 1-1-0 in two games against New York last season, picking up a 2-1 victory at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 12.

NOTABLES VS. NEW YORK

• Juuse Saros owns a 1.94 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and one shutout in 10 career games against the Rangers.
• Roman Josi has 14 points (4g-10a) in 20 career games vs. the Rangers, including three multi-point efforts. He notched three points (2g-1a) against the Rangers on Dec. 16, 2019.
• Colton Sissons has four points (2g-2a) in his last nine games vs. the Rangers.
• Ryan McDonagh served as captain of the Rangers for parts of four seasons from 2014-18; he helped lead New York to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
• Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette spent parts of six seasons as head coach of the Predators from 2014-20, going 248-143-60 in 451 games. New York Assistant Coaches Phil Housley (2013-17) and Dan Muse (2017-20) also spent time in Nashville on Laviolette’s staff in the same positions.
• Rangers forward Nick Bonino played 219 games across three seasons for Nashville from 2017-20, tallying 95 points (47g-48a).

THE GOOD GUYS

Preds on the Prowl

Despite Thursday’s loss, since Nov. 18 the Predators lead the NHL with 12 points. Nashville has additionally scored the joint second-most goals in the NHL (27) and the joint third-most goals per game (3.86).

Nashville’s winning streak was the team’s first six-game streak since December 2021, when the team won seven in a row. The streak fell just five games short of surpassing the franchise record of 10 wins in a row, set in October 2005.

First Goals vs. New York

Of note, two of Nashville’s 2019 draft picks tallied their first career NHL goals against the Rangers at Bridgestone Arena.

In his NHL debut on Nov. 12, 2022, Pärssinen (210th overall) netted his first career goal against Rangers goaltender Jaroslav Halak. The season prior, forward Philip Tomasino (24th overall) notched his first career tally against goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

THE OTHER GUYS

The Rangers arrive in Music City coming off a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Including Wednesday, New York has won eight of their last 10 outings and currently sit atop the Metropolitan Division - and the Eastern Conference - with 33 points on the season. The Rangers are additionally 9-2-1 on the road.

Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers in points (31) and assists (19), while Chris Kreider leads his team in goals with 13.

LINE ‘EM UP

Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Thursday’s game against Minnesota:

Forsberg - O’Reilly - Nyquist
Sherwood - Pärssinen - Evangelista
Trenin - Sissons
Smith - McCarron - Tomasino

McDonagh - Josi
Lauzon - Carrier
Barrie - Schenn
Fabbro

Saros
Lankinen

Scratch: Foudy
IR: Glass, Novak

WATCH & LISTEN

Coverage for Saturday’s game begins at 3 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley alongside analyst Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analyst Chris Mason 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.)