A back-to-back weekend begins this afternoon for the Nashville Predators when they host the Vegas Golden Knights for a 1 p.m. CT puck drop at Bridgestone Arena. Today’s contest is the third and final meeting between the two clubs this season; the Preds have split a pair of decisions in Vegas thus far.
Today’s game also marks the return of a trio of former Preds to Nashville, most notably Colton Sissons, who played the first 11 seasons of his NHL career in Tennessee. Jeremy Lauzon, who was traded along with Sissons to Vegas in exchange for Nic Hague last June, will also return to Bridgestone Arena, as will winger Cole Smith following a deal just two weeks ago.
The Predators have won two straight games, including a huge 3-1 victory over Seattle on Thursday night that pulled Nashville even with the Kraken with 71 points apiece. Along with San Jose and Los Angeles, the Preds remain very much in the hunt for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, and with just 14 games remaining in the regular season, they’re after all the points they can get.
“We've been through a lot this year,” Preds Alternate Captain Ryan O’Reilly said following Thursday’s win. “We look at the start of the season, and being completely out of it, not sure what's going to happen and fighting back into it - then, just still sticking with it. It’s a credit to everyone here, the character of guys, still showing up not quitting. We believe we can get in the playoffs. Everyone is working and doing what they can to do that. It's a fun time to play hockey, but still a lot of work left.”
Goaltender Juuse Saros did not dress for Nashville on Thursday and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Goaltender Matt Murray was recalled from Milwaukee and backed up Justus Annunen in Thursday’s game.
Joakim Kemell was scratched for the Preds against the Kraken, and defenseman Adam Wilsby, who has been out with a lower-body injury, has been skating with the team and took warmups before Thursday’s game.
The Good Guys:
O’Reilly, Ryan Ufko and Filip Forsberg all tallied for the Preds on Thursday, while Annunen made 25 saves to earn the win. Brady Skjei recorded his 300th career point with a helper on Ufko’s goal, and O’Reilly’s power-play marker was the 100th of his career.
O’Reilly has 23 goals and continues to lead the Preds with 62 points, followed by Forsberg with 30 goals and 58 points. Steven Stamkos has 31 goals and 52 points on the season; Luke Evangelista has 39 helpers and 48 points. Saros is 24-19-7 in net; Annunen is 7-9-2 and Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville this season.
The Opposition:
The Golden Knights sit third in the Pacific Division but are only five points ahead of the Preds with 76. Vegas has been shutout in two straight games, including a 4-0 loss to Utah on Thursday night.
Jack Eichel (24g-50a) leads the team with 74 points, followed by Mitch Marner (19g-50a) with 69 points and Mark Stone (21g-41a) with 62 points. Sissons has appeared in 53 games in his first season with Vegas and has five goals and nine points. Lauzon has 10 assists in 55 outings. Goaltender Akira Schmid is 16-9-6 in net; Adin Hill is 8-8-3.
All-Time Meetings:
The Preds are 10-10-3 all-time against the Golden Knights, including a 5-4-2 mark at home. Nashville is 5-5-0 in the last 10 meetings versus Vegas and 3-2-0 in the past five at Bridgestone Arena.
Jonathan Marchessault played 514 games for Vegas from 2017-24, recording 417 points (192g-225a). He won the 2023 Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe with the Golden Knights.
Nic Hague was selected by Vegas in the second round (34th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He played 364 games for Vegas from 2019-25, recording 83 points (20g-63a); he won the 2023 Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights.
Erik Haula played 91 games for Vegas from 2017-19, recording 62 points (31g-31a).
Nashville Notables:
Filip Forsberg now has his sixth 30-goal season, tying him with Markus Naslund for the second most by a Swedish-born player in NHL history, trailing only Mats Sundin (13).
Nashville’s penalty kill on home ice is tied for third-best in the League at 83.5 percent, and the team has scored a power-play goal in 17 of its last 24 games.
Watch & Listen:
Coverage for this afternoon’s contest begins at 12:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analyst Chris Mason and rinkside reporter Kara Hammer will have the call on the television side.
Voice of the Predators 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.)
