Filip Forsberg and the Nashville Predators will host the Washington Capitals (at 4 p.m. CT) as they begin another weekend full of hockey.
Nashville (29-22-9) has points in three-straight games, thanks in large part to Forsberg becoming the first player since 2010 (Alexandre Burrows) to register hat tricks in consecutive contests. Washington (41-12-7), who drafted Forsberg in 2012, sits atop the NHL standings with 89 points following a win over the Oilers, 2-1, on home ice last night. The Preds will also host the Oilers on Sunday at 4 p.m.
According to
Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post
, the Caps are expected to be without forward T.J. Oshie and defensemen Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen for this afternoon's game in Nashville. The Preds, on the other hand, continue to see improvement to the health of their forward group. Both Cody McLeod (Injured Reserve; lower-body) and Miikka Salomaki (IR; lower-body) skated during the Predators optional practice on Friday.
Nashville did not hold a morning skate on Saturday. Below is their projected lineup based on Thursday's game:
Projected Lineup: Capitals vs. Predators
Filip Forsberg Goes for Third Hat Trick in a Row Versus Former Team
© John Russell
