Game Day: Hurricanes vs. Preds Preview

The penultimate game of the regular season has arrived for the Nashville Predators, and they'll have a chance to clinch their spot in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs once more.
The Preds host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at Bridgestone Arena to start the final two games of the regular season, and a win for Nashville would see them take their place in the postseason for the seventh-consecutive year.
In order to do so, however, the Predators will have to defeat a League-leading Carolina team they have yet to beat this season. If Nashville is able to clinch their spot, they'll face the Hurricanes in Round One, but the Preds aren't getting ahead of themselves.
\[View: Digital Preds Press\]
\[Read More: Preds Projected Lineup vs. Carolina\]
[Dr Pepper Preds Arcade: The virtual, interactive arcade is open for today's matchup. Enter your predictions for the game and win prizes with other mobile games]

"We spent some time today prior to practice about some situations that we feel like we've got to be a little bit better in versus the last few games that we played them," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said Friday on preparing his team to face the Hurricanes. "We had a good practice here, and as we talked to the team about, it's not looking too far ahead. We're focused on Carolina, and we've got to find a way to win some games here."
"This is exciting," Preds defenseman Alexandre Carrier said of the situation his team is in. "Two months ago, people weren't saying we were going to make the playoffs… but we're in playoff mode already, because Carolina, if we're in then we're facing them, so it's going to be exciting. Last Saturday against Dallas, the building was packed, fans were crazy, so it's going to be exciting again."
Preds forward Colton Sissons returned to the Nashville lineup during Wednesday's loss in Columbus after missing Monday's game with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Dante Fabbro was back for the Predators after a 13-game absence due to injury, but forward Viktor Arvidsson did not play Wednesday and remains day-to-day.
Forward Nick Cousins, as well as defensemen Matt Benning and Erik Gudbranson were among the players scratched for the Preds on Wednesday in Columbus.

The Good Guys:
Tanner Jeannot and Calle Jarnkrok scored for the Preds on Wednesday night in Columbus, but the visitors fell to the Blue Jackets by a 4-2 score. Juuse Saros took the loss in net, as Nashville finished the road portion of their regular-season schedule.
Preds Captain Roman Josi leads the team in scoring with 33 points (8g-25a), followed by Filip Forsberg with 31 points (12g-19a) and Jarnkrok with 27 points (13g-14a). Mikael Granlund also has 13 goals on the season, Eeli Tolvanen has tallied 12 times and Arvidsson has 10 goals for the Preds. Saros is 10-11-1 in net; Pekka Rinne is 9-12-1.
The Opposition:
The Hurricanes dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Chicago on Thursday, but they had won five-straight games prior to that decision, and they lead the NHL with 80 points on the season. Sebastian Aho leads Carolina with 57 points (24g-33a), followed by Vincent Trochek with 43 points (17g-26a) and then Andrei Svechnikov (15g-27a) and Dougie Hamilton (10-32a) with 42 points apiece. Nino Neiderreiter has 20 goals for the Canes, and Jordan Staal has 16 tallies. Petr Mrazek is 6-1-3 in net for Carolina; Alex Nedeljkovic is 15-4-3.

All-Time Meetings:
The Predators are 15-17-(1)-4 all-time against the Hurricanes, including a 9-7-(0)-1 record at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville is 0-5-1 against Carolina this season; Saturday's game will be Nashville's third of four at Bridgestone Arena and the seventh of eight overall versus the Hurricanes in 2020-21.
After enjoying success against Carolina in the late 2000s and early 2010s, including an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) from 2008-12, the Predators have dropped 13 of their last 14 against the Hurricanes (1-10-3). The Predators are 0-5-0 in their last five home games versus the Hurricanes; they are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games against Carolina at Bridgestone Arena.
Notables Versus Carolina:
Matt Duchene has 12 points (4g-8a) in 24 career contests against Carolina. Ryan Johansen has 12 points (4g-8a) in 23 career meetings with the Hurricanes and had a four-game point streak (1g-3a) against Carolina from Jan. 27, 2014 to Nov. 4, 2014.
Ryan Ellis owns nine points (2g-7a) in 15 career games against the Hurricanes, including points in six of seven contests (1g-6a) from Jan. 6, 2015-March 9, 2019. Mattias Ekholm (1g-2a) and Dante Fabbro (3a) are Nashville's leading scorers against Carolina this season with three points each.

Preds Lights Debuts Tonight at Bridgestone Arena:
Preds Lights, presented by SmileDirectClub, allows Preds fans to be a part of the show. Debuting tonight and continuing through the playoffs, pregame hype in the arena will start with an all-inclusive light show, and you play a role.
This new technology sends ultrasonic audio waves straight to your phone and connects you with every fan in Smashville without having to be connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
When the pregame show starts, pull up your Preds Lights app and every fan's phone will sync straight to the FangVision video board and audio system to make your phone part of the pregame show action, while bringing you exclusive new content like never before.
Download the "Preds Lights" app (available for free on iOS and Android) in the app store and allow each permission. At your next Preds game you will be prompted to take out your Preds Lights app before the game starts. All you need to do is open up the app and become a part of the show!
When You Go:
Protective masks are required to be worn appropriately over the nose and mouth at all times inside venues, unless actively eating or drinking in designated locations. (Face coverings must be worn in all areas and can only be removed while actively eating or drinking. Face coverings must be worn while standing, waiting or sitting in dining locations. When food is in hand and actively being consumed, the face covering may be removed. Guests holding beverages are asked to wear a facial covering between each sip.)

Bridgestone Arena has a no bag policy\. Small, clear bags 9" x 7" x 2" or smaller will be permitted following X-Ray screening. Guests attending events with approved bags may experience longer entry times, for expedited entry please leave bags at home.
\Medical bags and parenting bags will be permitted following X-Ray screening. Backpacks of any kind are not permitted.

Watch & Listen:
Coverage for this evening's 7 p.m. CT puck drop from Nashville begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators Live! pregame show on Bally Sports South hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Terry Crisp. Willy Daunic, Chris Mason and Kara Hammer have the call on the television side, while Pete Weber and Hal Gill will broadcast on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. Pregame coverage on the radio begins at 6 p.m. For broadcast information and channel locations throughout the country,
click here
.
Streaming Info:
Listen to a Live Radio Feed
(only active during the game broadcast window).
Watch a Live Stream of the game
on the Bally Sports App or
Watch on NHL.TV