Less than 24 hours after falling to the Los Angeles Kings in a shootout, the Nashville Predators will try to get back in the win column tonight when they face the Anaheim Ducks for a 9 p.m. CT puck drop at Honda Center. This evening’s contest is the penultimate road game of the regular season for the Preds and the first of two meetings with the Ducks in the final two weeks of the campaign.
After wins in Los Angeles and San Jose to start their five-game trip, the Predators gained a single point last night against the Kings as their opponent slipped back into the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Now, with just five games remaining in their season and the playoff race as tight as ever, the Predators will certainly be eager for another chance at two more points tonight in Anaheim.
“Anaheim is obviously one of those young, really fast teams and having a great season,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said following last night’s loss. “Every game is a playoff game. They're fighting for their spot in their standings. We're fighting for a playoff spot. So, get some rest tonight and right back on tomorrow.”
“I think just digest this one a little bit and re-energize, and it's going to be another fun game tomorrow,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said last night. “They're probably pretty angry [with where] they're at the last few games. It will be another playoff-type game, and I expect our group to be ready to go.”
Preds defenseman Nicolas Hague did not play on Monday and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Ryan Ufko took Hague’s spot in the lineup. Prior to Monday’s game, the Predators recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle from Milwaukee, but he was a healthy scratch alongside Ozzy Wiesblatt.
The Good Guys:
Steven Stamkos and Josi tallied for the Preds last night, and Juuse Saros took the loss in net. Filip Forsberg has 37 goals and leads the Predators with 72 points, followed by Ryan O’Reilly with 25 goals and 70 points. Stamkos is one goal away from 40 and has 61 points to his name, while Josi has 40 helpers and 53 points. Saros is now 28-20-8 in net; Justus Annunen is 8-11-2.
The Opposition:
The Ducks are tied with Edmonton atop their division but have lost five in a row, including a pair of defeats against St. Louis and Calgary last Friday and Saturday. Cutter Gauthier leads Anaheim with 38 goals and 65 points, followed by Leo Carlson with 27 goals and 64 points, and then Beckett Sennecke with 23 goals and 58 points. Defenseman John Carlson, who was recently acquired from Washington, has 44 assists and 55 points on the season. Lukas Dostal is 29-18-3 in net for Anaheim; Ville Husso is 9-8-2.
All-Time Meetings:
The Preds are 39-37-(2)-11 all-time against the Ducks, including a 14-22-(0)-8 mark on the road. Nashville is 4-6-0 in the last 10 meetings versus Anaheim and 3-2-0 in the past five at Honda Center.
Nashville has played Anaheim three times in the postseason and is 3-0 in those series. The Preds reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history after defeating Anaheim, 4-2, in the 2017 Western Conference Final. Nashville has earned at least one point in 16 of its last 24 games against Anaheim (13-8-3).
Watch & Listen:
Coverage for tonight’s contest begins at 8:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and Chris Mason will have the call on the television side. Max Herz and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network.
