GAME DAY: Bruins vs. Preds, March 5

Following a pair of losses on their back-to-back set, the Nashville Predators will look to get back into the win column tonight when they host the Boston Bruins for a 7 p.m. CT puck drop at Bridgestone Arena. This evening’s contest marks Nashville’s final game before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline at 2 p.m. CT. 

The Preds have already felt the effects of the upcoming deadline with three trades over the past two days. First, center Michael McCarron was dealt to Minnesota as the Predators played the Blue Jackets in Columbus. Then, following the game, winger Cole Smith was traded to Vegas. Finally, defenseman Nick Blankenburg was sent to Colorado on Wednesday evening. 

Those deals surrounded a 3-2 loss for the Preds against the Jackets, and as the group returns home to host Boston tonight, they’ll simply be looking for two points. 

“We’ve got to move on,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said following Tuesday’s game. “Obviously, it's not an easy time for a lot of guys, but all we can control is our play. You have to accept the business side. It's part of it, and it's not fun, but all we can do as players is to play and hopefully get some wins.”

Preds center Ryan O’Reilly left Tuesday’s game after taking a stick to the eye off a faceoff. The Predators then released a statement on O’Reilly’s status following the game: 

“For those who are concerned about Ryan O’Reilly, we expect that he is going to be OK. He is flying home with the team from Columbus tonight and will be evaluated by our medical team in Nashville. We expect to have an update on his playing status sometime on Thursday.”

The Predators did not practice on Wednesday following their back-to-back games.

The Good Guys:

O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg both tallied for Nashville on Tuesday, while Justus Annunen took the loss in net. O’Reilly’s 59 points (22g-37a) lead the team, followed by Forsberg with 27 goals and 50 points. Steven Stamkos has 30 goals and 47 points, while Luke Evangelista has 38 assists and 46 points. Juuse Saros is 21-18-6 on the season; Annunen is now 6-8-2. 

The Opposition:

The Bruins started the month of March with a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. David Pastrnak has 50 assists and leads Boston with 72 points, followed by Morgan Geekie with 33 goals and 55 points. Charlie McAvoy has 36 assists and 41 points from the back end. Jeremy Swayman is 23-13-3 in net; Joonas Korpisalo is 11-8-2.

All-Time Meetings:

The Preds are 17-18-(1)-4 all-time against the Bruins, including an 11-9-0-0 mark at home. Nashville is 3-5-2 in the last 10 versus Boston but just 1-4-0 in the last five meetings at Bridgestone Arena. 

Aside from waiver claims, Boston is the only team that Nashville has never had a transaction with since the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft, in which the Predators selected center Mike Sullivan.


Nashville Notables:

Nashville’s penalty kill on home ice is third in the League at 83.5 percent, and the team has scored a power-play goal in 13 of its last 17 games (16-for-49). 

Since returning from the Olympic break, the Predators power play has clicked at 44.4 percent, the third-best in the NHL. Luke Evangelista has four points (4a) in his last three outings.

Milestone Watch:

Jonathan Marchessault is one assist from 300 in his NHL career.

Brady Skjei is three points from 300 in his NHL career.

Watch & Listen:

Coverage for this evening’s contest begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on FanDuel Sports Network 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.

Voice of the Predators 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.)