GAME DAY: Sharks vs. Preds, March 19

The Nashville Predators look to match the longest point streak in franchise history when they face the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Facing a team outside of a playoff picture and with wins in 12 of their last 14, the Predators will need to ice the same winning effort to sweep their season series against San Jose and stretch their point streak to 15 games.

“I think the focus level has been high through this stretch, and you keep putting it in the bank and I think we're getting a lot better as we go here,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “And it’s understanding the important times, for example, the Seattle game coming into the third period, they tie the game. You're in a little bit of a hostile environment, it's a hard place to play in. And I thought the next four or five shifts, everybody raised their game up a little bit. So, I think that those are learning experiences. Those are things we're getting better at understanding a little bit, the momentum swings and wanting to raise our level of play. I think those are things that could trip you up, when you're not ready, when you're not focused.”

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. Click here to get tickets and find out everything you need to know below:

MORNING SKATE SKINNY

LAST TIME OUT

Roman Josi scored twice and Juuse Saros made 23 saves as the Predators defeated the Seattle Kraken, 4-1, at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday to extend their point streak to 14 games (12-0-2).

Josi’s performance was the captain’s second multi-goal effort in his last nine contests and his 17th multi-point outing of the season.

With two assists, Mark Jankowski recorded 100 career NHL points (52g-48a) and his second multi-point effort of the season. The forward now has six points (1g-5a) in his last five games.

With a goal and an assist, Filip Forsberg recorded his 22nd multi-point game of the season, matching a career high established during the 2021-22 season. He is four multi-point performances away from matching the franchise record set by Josi in 2021-22.

With two assists, defenseman Ryan McDonagh recorded his sixth multi-point outing of the season. He is two multi-point efforts away from matching a career high established during the 2018-19 season.

Tommy Novak’s 14th goal of the season gave the forward six points (2g-4a) in his last seven outings.

The result saw Nashville match the second-longest point streak in franchise history and move one game away from tying the longest streak, established during the 2017-18 season.

THE GOOD GUYS

Forsberg leads the Predators in points (71) and goals (35); he is tied for 12th among NHL skaters in goals.

Josi leads his club and is fifth among all NHL defensemen in assists (50); Nashville’s captain is additionally tied for first among League blueliners in goals (17).

Saros is 29-21-4 after 54 appearances, with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Kevin Lankinen is 9-4-0 after 18 appearances, with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage.

The Predators 14-game point streak (12-0-2) is the longest active point streak in the NHL. Since Nov. 18, Nashville is tied for second in the NHL in points with 72.

Nashville is fourth in the Central Division and holds the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot with 82 points and an 18-15-1 record at Bridgestone Arena.

THE OTHER GUYS

San Jose closes out a five-game road slate on Tuesday looking for their first win of the trip.

Former Predators forward Mikael Granlund leads the Sharks in points (44) and assists (35), while Fabian Zetterlund leads in goals (18).

Magnus Chrona, confirmed as Tuesday's starter, is 1-5-1 after eight appearances, with a 4.23 goals-against average and a .869 save percentage. 

San Jose is eighth in the Pacific Division with 39 points and a 6-25-4 record on the road.

ALL-TIME MEETINGS

The Predators are 45-29-(2)-8 all-time against the Sharks, including a 27-12-(1)-2 record at Bridgestone Arena. This is the third and final matchup between Nashville and San Jose in 2023-24; it is the second and final at home.

Nashville is 2-0-0 against San Jose this season, most recently earning a 4-2 win at SAP Center on Feb. 24. The Predators also won the first meeting between the two teams this season, a 5-1 decision at home on Oct. 21. The Predators are 5-0-0 in their last five games against the Sharks; they are 9-0-1 in their last 10; and 5-0-0 in their last five on the road. Nashville went 3-0-0 in three games against San Jose last season.

Nashville owns a 12-game point streak (11-0-1) against San Jose that dates back to March 16, 2019, in which the team has not allowed more than two goals against in a single contest. The Predators have won each of their last nine games vs. the Sharks. On home ice, Nashville enters Tuesday’s contest on a six-game winning streak against San Jose; the Predators are 15-1-1 in their last 17 games vs. the Sharks at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators earned back-to-back wins vs. the Sharks on Oct. 7-8 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia, as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series. The Predators defeated the Sharks, 8-0, on March 5, 2022, marking the largest margin of victory in a road game in franchise history.

NOTABLES VS. SAN JOSE

• Josi has 27 points (6g-21a) in 33 career games against the Sharks, including four points (4a) on March 5, 2022.
• Forsberg is averaging a point per game in his career vs. San Jose, posting 25 points (10g-15a) in 25 contests.
• Ryan O’Reilly leads current Predators skaters in career points against San Jose with 29 (10g-19a) in 42 games.
• Michael McCarron recorded a career-high four points (2g-2a) on March 5, 2022 at San Jose.
• Gustav Nyquist played in 19 games for San Jose in 2018-19, recording 11 points (6g-5a).
• San Jose’s Matt Benning (2020-22), Granlund (2019-23) and Luke Kunin (2020-22) are former Predators players.
• Sharks forward Thomas Bordeleau is the son of Predators Skills Coach Sebastien Bordeleau.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Colton Sissons is two points from 200 in his NHL career.
• Luke Schenn is three points from 200 in his NHL career.
• Josi is five games from 900 in his NHL career.

WATCH & LISTEN

Coverage for Tuesday’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic, analyst Chris Mason and rinkside reporter Kara Hammer 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 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.)