Game Day: Preds at Islanders Preview

Smashville, let's run it back!
Less than 24 hours after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in overtime, the Nashville Predators are back in action with a visit to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.
The puck drops at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on Hulu/ESPN+, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here's everything you need to know:

Line 'Em Up

Below are Nashville's lines from Thursday's game at New Jersey:
Forsberg - Pärssinen - Granlund
Jeannot - Sissons - Duchene
Smith - Johansen - Niederreiter
Trenin - Glass - Jankowski
McDonagh - Josi
Ekholm - Carrier
Lauzon - Fabbro
Saros

The Good Guys

• Roman Josi has 17 points (5g-12a) in his last 15 games. He scored his seventh career overtime goal Tuesday vs. Anaheim, tying him with Shea Weber for the third-most in franchise history. He is also inching closer to passing David Legwand for the most points in franchise history; Josi (560) needs six more points to tie Legwand (566) and seven to pass him.
• Goaltender Juuse Saros is 6-0-1 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in his last seven games dating back to Nov. 12. His five wins since Nov. 12 are the most in the NHL. Additionally, Saros owns a 6.03 goals saved above average (GSAA) since Nov. 12, the second-best mark in the League (per Natural Stat Trick); GSAA measures the goals a goalie prevented given his save percentage and shots faced vs. the NHL average save percentage on the same number of shots.
• Filip Forsberg (483) passed Martin Erat (481) and moved into sole possession of third place on the Predators' all-time points list on Nov. 8 at Seattle. He is 12 points from becoming the third player in team history to reach the 500-point milestone. After recording his 12th assist of the season on Nov. 21 vs. Arizona, he leads Nashville in points with 19 (7g-12a) and has four multi-point outings in his last 13 games.
• Among NHL players who have taken at least 300 faceoffs, Ryan Johansen is third at 61.5 percent.
• Colton Sissons is tied for second in the NHL in shorthanded faceoffs won (44).

The Other Guys

The Islanders come into Friday's game off a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to that, they had won four games in a row.
Mathew Barzal is second in the NHL with 24 assists and has 11 points (2g-9a) in his last nine games; his 26 points this season are a team high. Brock Nelson has scored a team-leading 11 goals for the Islanders in 2022-23.

All-Time Meetings

The Predators are 21-8-(0)-3 all-time against the Islanders, including a 9-4-(0)-2 record on the road. This is the second and final matchup between Nashville and the Islanders in 2022-23 and the first and only at UBS Arena.
Nashville is 1-0-0 against the Islanders this season, claiming a 5-4 victory at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 17. The Predators have earned at least a point in 11 of their last 12 meetings with the Islanders (10-1-1), including wins in eight straight. Nashville's eight wins in a row against the NY Islanders is its longest active win streak against a single opponent.

Notables vs. NY Islanders

• Mattias Ekholm owned a six-game point streak vs. the Islanders (2g-6a) from Oct. 28, 2017-Feb. 13, 2020. He has 10 points (2g-8a) in 16 career games against the Islanders.
• Forsberg has 13 points (7g-6a) in 15 career games against the Islanders, including points in five of his last eight games (5g-3a).
• Josi has eight points (1g-7a) in his last six games vs. New York. He recorded his seventh career four-point outing on Nov. 17 against the Islanders, tallying four assists.
• Juuso Parssinen notched his first career three-point game on Nov. 17 vs. New York (2g-1a).
• Nino Niederreiter was drafted by the Islanders in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.

Last Time Out

Nashville improved to 4-6-0 on the road in 2022-23 with Thursday's win over the New Jersey Devils. The Predators moved to 4-2 in overtime/shootouts this season (2-1 in OT; 2-1 in shootouts), and four of Nashville's last five games have required OT.
The Predators extended their win streak against New Jersey to seven games, and their point streak against the Devils now stands at 13 (10-0-3). Head Coach John Hynes also improved to 4-0-0 against his former team. Johansen scored two goals, including the game winner in overtime; Sissons scored his second goal in as many games.

Watch & Listen

Friday's game will be broadcast exclusively on Hulu/ESPN+, with Mike Monaco and AJ Mleczko will have the call.
Max Herz and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. The game will also be broadcast in Spanish on El Jefe which airs on 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM and 810 AM.