The Nashville Predators will hit the ice for a Central Division rematch on Saturday as they face the rival Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.
This is the second of four meetings between the teams this season and the first of two in Dallas.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CT with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here’s everything you need to know:
LAST TIME OUT
On Thursday, the Predators were disappointed with their effort after falling by a 6-3 decision to the Calgary Flames at Bridgestone Arena.
“There was a lot of sloppy hockey, a lot of slow-twitch thinking and playing,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said following Thursday’s game. “I don't think we did anything very well… We knew the importance of this game and [after the first period] we discussed how our home ice means something, how we wanted to establish our game, how he wanted to dictate, how we wanted to win battles, how we wanted to out-compete [Calgary], and we did none of them.”
Filip Forsberg (19), Colton Sissons (12) and Michael McCarron (6) each tallied for the Predators, while Ryan O’Reilly (18), Gustav Nyquist (21), Dante Fabbro (7), Roman Josi (23), Philip Tomasino (11) and Tommy Novak (12) picked up the assists.
Nyquist’s first period helper extended the forward’s point streak to seven games (5g-5a). He is two games away from matching his season-high nine-game point streak from Nov. 9-28 (2g-9a).
Juuse Saros made 20 saves on 25 shots before being swapped out for Kevin Lankinen at the start of the third period. Lankinen made 13 saves in the relief effort; Saros was credited with the loss and moved to 16-14-1 on the season.
Cole Smith led the Predators in hits (7) for the second-straight game.
The Predators went 0-for-1 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The result moved Nashville to 21-17-1 on the season and 12-10-0 at Bridgestone Arena.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg, selected to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game on Thursday, leads the Predators in goals, assists and points (19g-24a-43pts). O’Reilly is second in points with 33 (18g-19a) and Josi third with 31 (8g-23a).
Nashville’s top line of Forsberg, O’Reilly and Nyquist have combined for 31 points (12g-19a) in their last 10 outings. The trio is 10th in the NHL in expected goal percentage (at least 300 minutes together at 5-on-5) at 52.9 percent, per MoneyPuck.com.
Saros has posted a 3.01 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage after 31 games. Lankinen is 4-3-0 after 11 games, with a 3.15 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
The Predators are 16-7-1 in their last 24 games; since Nov. 18, they share the NHL lead in points with 33.
Nashville is fourth in the Central Division with 43 points and a 9-7-1 record on the road.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Stars will enter Saturday’s contest looking to close out their five-game homestand on a high note after dropping their previous two games - a 5-4 overtime decision to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday and a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
Jason Robertson leads the Stars in points (37) and assists (25); Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz share the team lead in goals with 15 each.
Goaltender Jake Oettinger has not played since Dec. 15 after suffering an apparent lower body injury, but is expected to return to game action soon.
Oettinger is 11-7-2 after 21 games, with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Scott Wedgewood is 11-3-3 overall and 1-0-0 against the Predators this season, with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage.
The Stars are third in the Central Division with 49 points, a 12-6-2 record at American Airlines Center and a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 outings.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 48-51-(1)-5 all-time against the Stars, including a 17-31-(0)-3 record on the road. Nashville is 0-1-0 against Dallas this season, dropping a 3-2 decision at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 23.
The Predators are 0-5-0 in their last five games against the Stars; they are 4-6-0 in their last 10; and 2-3-0 in their last five on the road. The Predators went 0-4-0 against the Stars last season, dropping the four contests by a combined score of 17-5.
Nashville has scored at least four goals (including the shootout winner) in 11 of its last 20 victories over Dallas. Nashville and Dallas met in the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, with the Predators falling, 4-2, in front of 85,630 fans – the second-most attended NHL game in history. Matt Duchene and Fabbro scored for the Predators.
NOTABLES VS. DALLAS
- Saros is 12-9-1 in his career vs. Dallas, posting three shutouts, a 2.56 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 22 games.
- Josi owns 33 career points (12g-21a) vs. the Stars, tied for the second-most against a single opponent in his NHL career.
- McCarron (Dec. 19, 2015) and Ryan McDonagh (Jan. 7, 2011) made their NHL debuts against Dallas.
- Stars forwards Duchene (2019-23) and Craig Smith (2011-20) and defenseman Ryan Suter (2005-12) are former Predators players.
LINE ‘EM UP
Below are Nashville’s line combinations from Thursday’s game against Calgary:
Forsberg - O'Reilly - Nyquist
Pärssinen - Sissons - Sherwood
Smith - Novak - Evangelista
Trenin - McCarron - Tomasino
Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Schenn
Lauzon - Carrier
Saros
Lankinen
Scratches: Barrie (upper body, day-to-day), Glass
MILESTONE WATCH
- Roman Josi (166) is one goal from passing Shea Weber (166) for the most by a defenseman and the third-most among all skaters in Predators history.
- Kevin Lankinen is one game from 100 in his NHL career.
- Tyson Barrie is two games from 800 in his NHL career.
- Filip Forsberg is four assists from 300 in his NHL career.
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. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side. The game can also be streamed live on Fubo; click here for a 14-day free trial.
Pete Weber and Hal Gill 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.)
