The Predators face off against the Oilers tonight, for the second time this season
By Anthony Pellegrino @Pellegrinoap50 IceInsider.com Predators All Access Reporter
BOSTON--Tonight Predators will face the Oilers in the second of three outings this season. Nashville has a chance to take advantage of a scrambling Oilers team as the known star Connor McDavid remains out of the lineup due to an ankle injury. The Predators look to maintain the current momentum, picking up seven out of the last eight possible points.
Monday marked the teams third game in just four days, against Tampa. Evidently, the team would start out slow before climbing back in the game scoring two unanswered, before falling in overtime. It marked Steven Stamkos first time back in front of the building the played in for sixteen years.
The Oilers head into Nashville coming off a 6-1 loss to Columbus on Monday. For much of the season, goaltending has poised a problem to the team as Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard post save percentages in the .87 percent, both top 20 in the worst save percentages amongst the leauge.
"I think our game is slowly coming"...Brunette said prior to the game against Tampa..."Not to the level that we want it at, but it's getting there."
Nashville's Projected Lineup:
Forsberg-O'Reilly-Marchessault
Stamkos-Novak-Nyquist
Jankowski-Sissons-Evangelista
L'Heureux-Mccarron-Smith
Josi-Fabbro
Lauzon-Carrier
Skjei-Schenn
**Saros
Wedgewood
**=Unconfirmed
Andrew Brunette changed the Predators lineup a handful of games ago, to spark momentum from the top six. He swapped what was Forsberg-O'Reilly-Nyquist for the longest time, putting Marchessault on the right wing moving Nyqust down to the second line.
Gustav Nyquist ended with a goal against Tampa on his newly found second line. Brunette appears to again, try and find the ideal linemate(s) for Steven Stamkos; who in his return to Tampa earned his first two assists of the season.
Edmonton's projected lineup
Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Skinner-RNH-Hyman
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Caggiula/Ryan-Philp-Perry
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Dermott
Kulak-Emberson/Stecher
Pickard
Skinner
The story for Edmonton tonight will be how the lineup prefeorms in the absence of Connor McDavid. He's tied for the most points evidently with Leon Draistail (10 PTS) on the season. Other than McDavid, Draistail, Ekholm (8), and Bouchard (6), the dropoff from the majority of the team is four points or less.
Drake Caggula is expected to make his season debut with the Oilers tonight. The 30-year-old Caggiula leads Bakersfield with five points in five games via two goals and three helpers. Over the course of his career, he's played in 282 NHL games. Adidtonally, Noah Pilip was recalled by Edmonton,who has scored two goals and one assist in six games with the Condors (AHL) this season.
The first line for the Oilers has undergone changes to cope with McDavid's absence. Head Coach Kris Knoblauch promoted Jeff Skinner from the third line, to the first, and bumped down Leon Draistail for Ryan Nuget-Hopkins.
Who to watch for Nashville:
Ryan O'Reilly plays a style of hockey, typically seen in the 2010's. While he's a terrific two-way forward for Nashville, over the course of the past handful of nights, O'Reilly has specifically done an excellent job of carrying puck for his line, which have worked to create high-danger chances.
He posted an assist against Columbus, and a goal vs Tampa which added to his three goals, and five assists for eight point in nine games this season.
Steven Stamkos returing to Tampa took a much needed weight off his shoulders as the return was highly anticipated, and he's notably still emotional over the sutiation that lead him to Nashville.
Seemingly getting "the hard part" over with helped as following the tribute, he earned his first two assists of the season, against the Lightning.
Who to watch for Edmonton:
In the wake of Mcdavid's injury, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch spoke on the significance of other guys stepping up in the linuep:
“It should be an opportunity for guys to step up. It’s more ice time, more opportunity. … Obviously, our team’s going to look different.”
Viktor Arvidsson spent the beginning seven seasons of his career with Nashville. Over the course of his time he became known as a top-six offenseman for the team, who facilitates offensive plays getting into scorign areas, and overall an offensive insurence for the team.
Now with Edmonton, he has the chance to step up in the absence of McDavid. Although just three points (3 A) this season, he's been promoted to the Oilers top line to try and find other guys to step up.
Starting Goaltenders:
Juuse Saros starts in goal tonight for Nashville. Coming off a 24-save performance against Tampa, Saros has kept the team in games per usually, especially in the first period when the team has shown slow starts from puck drop.
On the season he is 2-4-1, with a .905 SV%, and 2.75 GAA.
Calvin Pickard will start in goal for the Oilers tonight. The Predators faced him back on October 17th, where he allowed two goals on 17 shots.
This season in four games, Pickard has a .875 SV%, and 2.91 GAA (2-1)
Last Time Around:
The first meeting of the two teams happened just two weeks ago on October 17th. Nashville scored the inital goal credit of Filip Forsberg, yet the score found itself 2-2, until Connor McDavid tapped the puck in on a sliding Juuse Saros.
The Predators have sublty became a well-hitting team this season, and in the first outing, dominating the hits 29-9, in favor of Nashville. Using the phsicallity and converting them into offensive plays will be the key on how the Predators can come up on top tonight.
Goaltender Cavlin Pickard stopped 25 of 27 in the inital outing. Testing Pickard throughouht the night sould see Nashville with more success, due to the chemistry that's forming between the lines, unlike the previous matchup against Edmonton.
FAST FACTS:
WEEKS AGO: Edmonton beat Nashville 4-2 in the first matchup this season, on October 17th, at Bridgestone Arena. Filip Forsberg, and Jonathan Marchessault earned goals. Juuse Saros stopped 32 of 35.
FIl' THE THRILL: Filip Forsberg has tallied 25 points (13g-12a) in 26 career games against the Oilers, over the course of thirteen seasons.
100 POINTS: Tommy Novak is one point from 100 in his NHL career. All 99 have been with the Nashville Predators, over the span of four seasons, and 158 games.
13 WINS: Nashville won 13 straight games against Edmonton from Oct. 29, 2014-Oct. 20, 2018, outscoring the Oilers, 40-15, during the streak.
Game Prediction:
McDavid out will be the story for the outing, as last time around he scored his first goal of the campaign against Nashville. Furthermore the Predators having a few days to rest should show a team ready to play for puck drop, unlike against Tampa.
My Predicition: The Predators prevail 3-1 against Edmonton. Josi to score, and Saros to make 25+ saves.
Single-game tickets for the Predators 2024-25 home games at Bridgestone Arena, are now available at Ticketmaster.com.
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