Nashville travels to Detroit for game two of 82 tonight against Detroit at 6:00 PM CDT.
By Anthony Pellegrino @Pellegrinoap50 IceInsider.com Predators All Access Reporter
BOSTON--Nashville travels to Detroit for a Saturday night matchup against the Red Wings. This marks the first road game for the Predators of the 2024/2025 season. They look to climb back after what was a fierce comeback effort against Dallas on Thursday.
They look to iron the wrinkles that were evident in game one. The beginning of the season always can start rather unformatted. Extra penalties were called, some missed by officials getting back into the season, and the story for Nashville Thursday night was some pucks that came to a matter of inches, from changing the outcome of the game.
Ryan O'Reilly who scored with just 1:35 remaining in regulation to put the Predators within one, grazed the post seconds later, which could've brought the team to overtime.
Nashville looks to start tonight with control, and not climb out of a hole throughout the night.
At the other end, Detroit's goal was to move forward after falling 6-3 to Pittsburgh in a lackluster effort to start the season on.
Nashville's Projected Lineup:
Forsberg-O'Reilly-Nyquist
Stamkos-Novak-Marchessault
Evangelista-Sissons-Tomasino
Jankowski-Mccarron-Smith
Josi-Fabbro
Skjei-Schenn
Lauzon-Carrier
**Saros
**Wedgewood
Head Coach Andrew Brunette changed up the second and third line on Thursday, giving Sissons a shot with Stamkos and Marchessault, and Novak rest from the large minutes he played on the line. Brunette should run with the original lines; the change was made to find a spark within the lineup.
Brunette credited Sissons for the face he's able to place him anywhere in the lineup, and he'll know what to do, and where to go. Along with what it puts on Novak:
"(I felt) It's putting a lot on Tommy (Novak) to play with the new guys. Sissons fits in wherever you need him. (I think) he had a heck of a hockey game. He's one of those players you can trust in every situation."
Detroit Projected Lineup:
Debrincat-Larkin-Kane
Tarasenko-Compher-Raymond
Rasmussen-Copp-Fischer
Motte-Veleno-Berggren
Chiarot-Seider
Edvinsson-Holl
Maatta-Johansson
*Talbot
Husso
Forwards Patrick Kane and Alex Debrincat will have to be heavily guarded when on the ice tonight. The two's chemistry was the reason Patrick Kane signed with Detroit, to re-unite with Debrincat. Both are accompanied by one of the best skaters in the leauge, Dylan Larkin.
Justin Holl slots back into the 3rd line of defense for Detroit. After veteran Jeff Petry left during the season debut against Pittsburgh, sustaining an upper-body injury.
Nashville will have to be alert with all four lines of offense for the Red Wings, as the deep lineup has players that can find the back of the net, from all four lines.
Who to watch for Nashville:
As mentioned by Andrew Brunette, Colton Sissons can slot into wherever he's called to play on the Predator's offense. If Brunette looks to find a spark from the lineup sometime tonight, expect him to slot up to the second line alongside Stamkos and Marchessault.
With that switch comes Tommy Novak re-united with 22-year-old Luke Evangelista. The two formed a substantial amount of chemistry throughout last season.
Novak, on a breakaway, scored his first goal of the campaign last Thursday, on a break with goaltender Jake Oettinger, which Novak backhanded over his glove.
Who to watch for Detroit:
Veteran Patrick Kane was known during his time in Chicago spanning from 2007 to 2023, that if he had a quiet night, expect showtime to show up the following night. He remained quiet through game one for Detroit, registering no points, and a minus one for +/-.
Last season with Detroit, Kane posted 20 goals and 27 assists for 47 points in 50 games played. Against Nashville last season, Kane posted two assists.
With Jeff Petry out of the lineup due to an upper-body injury, expect Justin Holl who spent all of last season with Detroit, yet more out of the lineup than in. Expect grit and power from the 2nd line defenseman, fighting for a spot.
Starting Goaltenders:
Juuse Saros who was marked day-to-day after suffering a lower-body injury during Nashville's final preseason game, is slated to start in goal for Nashville.
All indications point to Saros as the starter for the Predators, after Nashville sent fill-in goaltender Matt Murray back to Milwaukee (AHL) yesterday. He did not travel with the team to Detroit, meaning the Predators only brought two goaltenders to the evening matchup.
At the other end, Nashville will face 37-year-old Cam Talbot in goal. Talbot is in his 12th season in the NHL with now 8th team, the Red Wings.
Talbot didn't start the Red Wings season opener, yet ended up playing in relief for starter Ville Husso, whose night ended early. In relief, Talbot stopped 12 of 14.
Storylines for Nashville:
Juuse Saros looks to make his return to the Predators blue paint tonight. How he can perform and battle back from his injury will be a testament to how Nashville gets the ground running; whether tonight or when he's available to return.
Historically, Saros hasn't been the most consistent goaltender, to start the season, and if Nashville wants to compete for a Stanley Cup, every game matters.
The power play has a game of experience under their belt, after Thursday's opener. If both untis play the same way, with timing and passes just more in sync, Nashville is bound to find the back of the net on the power play
Pressure Early On:
What's been noticed so far, that seemed to be a frequent issue over the course of the past handful of seasons, was Nashville climbing back into games, instead of putting pressure on from the start, and controlling the dictate of the game.
In that case, maybe then Nashville can afford to have Stamkos and O'Reilly graze the iron in the final minutes.
What helps with the factor of players trying to force pressure right from puck drop is the confidence in your goaltender, to have the sense that he will make saves when you need him to, most importantly early on, and in the final minutes.
Game Prediction:
If Nashville starts the way they finished in the home opener, they'll find themselves in what I believe to be a close battle for the game with Detroit. Saros in goal should also give Nashville the confidence they need in goal.
My prediction: Nashville falls 3-2 in overtime to the Red Wings. After Detroit's embarrassment to start the season, expect a team ready to work in their home opener.
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