A rematch of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final comes early in the campaign and with both participants looking for their first win of the 2017-18 regular season.
Nashville (0-1-0) rallied late, but fell, 4-3, to the Boston Bruins in the Predators' season opener on Thursday. Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg and Scott Hartnell scored for Nashville in the loss. Pittsburgh (0-1-1) has dropped two contests to Central Division teams to start the season, including a 10-1 blasting by the Chicago Blackhawks.
It may just be a regular-season game, but tonight's contest (at 6 p.m. CT) seems to mean a little bit more to Nashville after they fell in six games in the Cup Final to Pittsburgh just four months ago. The final stop in a two-game road trip to begin the season for Nashville may see some lineup changes from Thursday's group.
Winger Kevin Fiala is out for tonight's game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Defenseman Samuel Girard skated alongside Alexei Emelin on Friday. If Girard suits up tonight, it would be the 19-year-old's NHL debut.
Below is a projected lineup based on Friday's practice:
Projected Lineup: Predators at Penguins
Nick Bonino, Preds Return to Pittsburgh in Stanley Cup Final Rematch
