Game Day: Preds vs. Canadiens Preview

The Nashville Predators (15-14-6) will kick off the calendar year with a home matchup against the Montreal Canadiens (15-19-3) Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here's everything you need to know:

Line 'Em Up

Below are Nashville's lines from Saturday's game at Vegas:
Forsberg - Parssinen - Sissons
Trenin - Johansen - Duchene
Niederreiter - Glass - Granlund
Jankowski - Novak - Jeannot
McDonagh - Josi
Ekholm - Carrier
Lauzon - Fabbro
Lankinen

The Good Guys

• The Predators closed out 2022 with a 41-33-11 record (93 points) in the calendar year. Nashville played in 85 games during 2022 - only three teams (Buffalo, Seattle, Tampa Bay) skated in fewer.
• With his second of three goals on Saturday at Vegas, Filip Forsberg became the third player in franchise history to record 500 points, joining Roman Josi (570) and David Legwand (566). He became the quickest player in Predators history to reach the 500-point mark, doing so in his 601st career game. Saturday at Vegas saw Forsberg record his franchise-leading eighth career regular-season hat trick and first since scoring four goals on Nov. 30, 2021 vs. Columbus. It was the first hat trick by a Nashville player this season. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Week for the week ending Jan. 1. Forsberg led the NHL in goals (5) and points (7) during the week and posted back-to-back three-point outings on Friday at Anaheim (1g-2a) and Saturday at Vegas (3g). It was the second time in his career he's recorded three points in consecutive team games and the first time since a three-game run from Feb. 21-25, 2017 (7g-2a-9pts). Forsberg has 28 points (12g-16a) in his last 28 games dating back to Oct. 22 vs. Philadelphia. He's recorded four three-point games in that time frame - Oct. 27 vs. St. Louis (3a), Nov. 1 at Edmonton (1g-2a), Friday at Anaheim (1g-2a) and Saturday at Vegas (3g). He's up to 34 career three-point games, the most in Predators history. He is now tied with Legwand for the second-most multi-point games in Predators history (120).
• Roman Josi recorded his 566th and 567th career points on Dec. 21 at Chicago to pass Legwand (566) for the most in Predators history. Josi became the second defenseman to lead an active NHL franchise in points, joining Boston's Ray Bourque. He has 24 points (7g-17a) in his last 26 games after recording an assist on Saturday at Vegas. His goal on Dec. 21 at Chicago was the 27th game-winner of his career, moving him past Martin Erat for sole possession of third place on Nashville's all-time list. Since Oct. 27, Josi is tied for third among NHL defensemen in goals (8); tied for fifth in points (27); and tied for 10th in assists (19).

The Other Guys

The Canadiens (15-19-3) are currently in last place in the Atlantic Division and come into Tuesday's game on a five-game losing streak. They have not won a game in regulation since Dec. 6 (4-2 at Seattle).
Captain Nick Suzuki leads the Habs with 32 points (15g-17a) in 2022-23. His 15 goals are second only to Cole Caufield's 21 (21g-9a-30pts).

All-Time Meetings

The Predators are 15-7-(1)-6 all-time against the Canadiens, including an 8-1-(1)-4 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the first of two matchups between Nashville and Montreal in 2022-23 and the first and only at home.
Nashville went 1-1-0 against Montreal last season, earning a 4-3 overtime win at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 4 with Forsberg scoring the game-winning goal. Nashville has picked up at least a point in 16 of its last 18 meetings with Montreal (12-2-4) and has only lost twice in regulation since Jan. 15, 2009.
In 18 contests since the 2009-10 season, Nashville has limited Montreal to an average of 1.9 goals per game, including 15 games in which the Preds have given up two or fewer goals. Nashville has only lost once in regulation at home to Montreal, a 3-1 defeat on March 10, 2003.

Notables vs. Montreal

• Mikael Granlund posted an eight-game point streak vs. Montreal from Dec. 22, 2015-Jan. 7, 2019, tallying three goals and 13 points. He has 18 points (3g-15a) in 15 career games against the Canadiens, including six multi-point outings, one of which came on Nov. 20, 2021 (2a).
• Matt Duchene has 17 points (6g-11a) in 21 career meetings with Montreal. He notched his second career hat trick - and first with the Predators - on Nov. 20, 2021 at the Bell Centre.
• Josi has nine points (1g-8a) in 14 career games against the Canadiens.
• Alexandre Carrier is a native of Quebec City, Que., and played four seasons for Gatineau in the QMJHL from 2012-16.
• Jeremy Lauzon is a native of Val-d'Or, Que., and played his junior hockey for Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) from 2013-17.
• Ryan McDonagh was drafted by Montreal in the first round (12th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.
• Assistant Coach Todd Richards was selected by Montreal in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1985 NHL Draft.

Last Time Out

Nashville moved to 7-8-3 on the road in 2022-23 with Saturday's overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Predators are now 5-6 in overtime/shootouts this season (3-5 in OT; 2-1 in shootout).
Forsberg recorded the eighth regular-season hat trick of his career. His third goal tied the game at 4-4 at 19:55 of the final period, making it the third-latest game-tying goal in Predators history. Forsberg added a game-high six shots and had two hits. Lauzon scored his first goal of the season, and six different Nashville skaters picked up an assist.

Watch & Listen

Coverage for Saturday's game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley alongside analyst Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side.
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. The game will also be broadcast in Spanish on El Jefe which airs on 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM and 810 AM.