The Nashville Predators look to stretch their point streak to 13 games as their four-game road trip continues on Wednesday with a Central Division contest against the Winnipeg Jets.
With a three-point hold on the Western Conference’s first Wild Card position and only 16 games remaining, the Predators know they’ll need to have a focused, gritty performance against one of the best teams in the National Hockey League in order to depart with two points.
“We’ve got to stay hungry,” Predators forward Mark Jankowski said. “Every game at this point in the season is a playoff game. We're trying to push guys down who are behind us and then trying to catch teams who are ahead of us. So, every game is a playoff game and we’ve got to go in with that hungry mentality.”
“It’s a great test for us, playing arguably the best team in the NHL on the road,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “We've been good on the road and we just keep building our game. I think we're learning a little bit every game, and the resiliency and the stay in the moment of the last game really sticks out. For a guy like [Ryan O’Reilly], the games don't get too busy or too fast, and there are going to be ups and downs in a game, but he's in the moment. And I hope our young guys realized that. He was calm and made a big play, and you’re going to have opportunities in these big games to make big plays. So, we're learning every game and we're getting better.”
Puck drop at Canada Life Centre is at 6:30 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
O’Reilly forced overtime with 122 seconds remaining, but the Predators ultimately fell to the Minnesota Wild by a 4-3 decision at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.
O’Reilly’s late equalizer was his 14th power-play goal of the season. The forward is tied with Valeri Nichushkin for the fifth-most PPGs in the NHL and is one away from matching a career high, established with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2017-18 season.
With a goal and an assist, Jankowski recorded his first multi-point game of the season. His first-period goal extended the forward’s point streak to three games (1g-3a).
Luke Evangelista’s 14th goal of the season established a career-high four-game point streak (3g-1a) and marked the first time the rookie has scored a goal in three straight outings.
Tommy Novak picked up his 24th assist of the season and stretched his point streak to three games (3a).
Juuse Saros made 29 saves and moved to 27-21-4 on the campaign.
The result extended Nashville’s point streak to 12 games (10-0-2), the longest active point streak in the NHL and the third-longest in franchise history.
THE GOOD GUYS
Filip Forsberg leads the Predators in points (68) and goals (33); the forward is tied for 11th among all NHL skaters in goals.
Roman Josi leads his team and is fifth among League defensemen in assists (48); Nashville’s captain is additionally tied for second among League blueliners in goals (15).
Saros is 27-21-4 after 52 appearances, with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Kevin Lankinen is 9-4-0 after 18 appearances, with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage.
The Predators are 17-4-3 away from home since Nov. 24, tied for the most road points in the NHL in that span (37). They have points in nine of their last 10 road games (7-1-2).
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division and holds the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot with 78 points.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Jets enter Wednesday’s contest looking for their second win of a three-game homestand, after shutting out the Washington Capitals, 3-0, at Canada Life Centre on Monday.
Mark Scheifele leads the Jets in points (57), Kyle Connor leads in goals (27) and Josh Morissey leads in assists (45).
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 30-14-3 in 47 appearances, with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. Hellebuyck leads all qualified NHL goalies (22 games or more) in save percentage and boasts the second-best goals-against average.
Backup netminder Laurent Brossoit is 11-4-2 in 17 appearances, with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Brossoit is 1-1-0 against Nashville this season.
The Jets share the League lead for the fewest goals allowed (152); they boast the fourth-most wins (41) and the fourth-best point percentage (.980) in the NHL.
Winnipeg is second in the Central Division with 87 points and a 22-8-2 record at Canada Life Centre; their 22 wins at home are the third-most in the NHL.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 29-20-(1)-6 all-time against the Jets franchise, including a 11-11-(1)-5 record on the road. This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Winnipeg in 2023-24; it is the second and final at Canada Life Centre.
Nashville is 1-1-0 against Winnipeg this season, most recently earning a 3-2 win at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 26. The Predators fell, 6-3, to the Jets on Nov. 9 in Manitoba. The Predators are 2-2-1 in their last five games against the Jets; they are 4-4-2 in their last 10; and 1-3-1 in their last five on the road.
Nashville went 1-1-2 against Winnipeg last season, with two of the four meetings requiring overtime. The Predators picked up two points in a 2-1 victory at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 24, 2023 behind 32 saves from Saros.
NOTABLES VS. WINNIPEG
- Josi tied the Predators franchise record for assists and points in a game with five on Feb. 27, 2018 at Winnipeg. He has 28 points (5g-23a) in 36 career games vs. the Jets.
- Forsberg recorded a five-game point streak (5a) vs. Winnipeg from March 13, 2018-March 1, 2019. He has picked up at least one point in 13 of his last 22 contests against the Jets and has posted 23 points (6g-17a) in 35 career games vs. Winnipeg.
- Saros is 5-6-3 with a 2.51 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and one shutout in 14 career meetings with Winnipeg.
- Colton Sissons made his NHL debut on Jan. 28, 2014 at Winnipeg.
- Cody Glass is a native of Winnipeg. He has two goals in five career games against his hometown team.
- General Manager Barry Trotz is from Dauphin, Man.
- The Predators acquired a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from Winnipeg for forward Nino Niederreiter on Feb. 25, 2023. Niederreiter tallied 28 points (18g-10a) in 56 games for Nashville to begin the 2022-23 season.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Jankowski is two points from 100 in his NHL career.
- Sissons is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Wednesday’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.)
