Predators Look to Rebound Against Flames After Tough Loss to Jets
The Nashville Predators are back on home ice Tuesday night, aiming to reset the tone for December after a disappointing end to November. They'll host the Calgary Flames at Bridgestone Arena in the second of three meetings between the teams this season-a rematch of Nashville’s 4-2 win back on Nov. 1.
Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets didn’t just sting-it snapped the momentum the Preds had built during a promising two-game Thanksgiving road trip in Detroit and Chicago. It was a reminder of the inconsistency that’s plagued this team early in the season, especially in the second leg of back-to-backs.
Second-Night Struggles Continue
The Predators have had a clear trend this season when it comes to back-to-backs: strong starts, sluggish finishes. They’re 3-0-1 in the first game of those sets, but just 0-2-1 in the second. Saturday’s loss was another example, with Nashville looking a step behind Winnipeg for much of the night.
Still, there were a few bright spots. Defenseman Nick Blankenburg continued his solid stretch, scoring his fourth goal of the season-tying his season high-and extending his point streak to four games (3 goals, 2 assists). That includes a multi-point night in Detroit earlier in the week.
Luke Evangelista also stayed hot, notching a goal and an assist to push his own point streak to four games (2 goals, 5 assists). The 21-year-old winger is quietly becoming one of Nashville’s more reliable offensive contributors.
Injury Updates
There was some encouraging news on the injury front Tuesday morning. Forward Cole Smith, who’s been on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, skated in practice for the first time since being sidelined. Michael McCarron and Justin Barron also returned to the ice and are considered day-to-day with lower-body issues.
November in the Rearview
The Predators closed out November with a 4-7-2 record-matching their October win total (4-6-2). It was a month defined by streaks, both good and bad.
The team’s longest winning streak was just two games, while their longest point streak hit three. But the low point was a five-game skid from Nov. 3-10, where they went 0-3-2.
One major positive? Rookie forward Matthew Wood.
The 20-year-old led all NHL rookies in goals for the month (six) and tied for fourth in points (nine). His breakout moment came on Nov. 10 at Madison Square Garden, where he netted his first career hat trick against the New York Rangers.
He added another goal last Friday in Chicago, showing that his scoring touch is no fluke.
Predators Team Leaders
At the top of Nashville’s scoring chart is veteran center Ryan O’Reilly, who has 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists). Right behind him are Filip Forsberg (9 goals, 8 assists) and the aforementioned Evangelista (4 goals, 13 assists), both with 17 points.
In net, Juuse Saros has had an up-and-down start to the season. He’s 7-9-3 with a 3.08 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. Backup Justus Annunen has struggled in limited action, going 1-4-1 with a 3.94 GAA and .850 save percentage.
One area where the Preds continue to shine is the faceoff circle. They rank seventh in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (52.7%), thanks in large part to O’Reilly, who ranks seventh league-wide with 258 faceoff wins.
Scouting the Flames
Calgary wraps up a five-game road swing Tuesday night in Nashville, coming off a 1-0 overtime loss to Carolina. The Flames have had their own share of ups and downs this season, sitting just ahead of the Preds in the standings.
Nazem Kadri leads Calgary in points (5 goals, 16 assists), with defenseman Rasmus Andersson right behind him (5 goals, 13 assists). Andersson had a standout November, racking up 14 points in 15 games, including two three-point performances. He was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week for the stretch ending Nov. 23, after notching a league-best nine points in just five games.
In goal, Dustin Wolf has carried the bulk of the workload, posting a 6-12-2 record with a 3.17 GAA and .890 save percentage. Devin Cooley has been more effective in a backup role, going 3-2-2 with a 1.88 GAA and a .931 save percentage.
Special teams have been a mixed bag for Calgary. The power play has been ice cold-just 12-for-90 (13.3%), which ranks dead last in the league. But the penalty kill has been solid, killing off 81.8% of penalties, good for 10th in the NHL.
Head-to-Head History
Nashville has historically fared well against Calgary, especially at home. The Preds are 24-14-9 all-time at Bridgestone Arena against the Flames and have gone 6-4-0 in their last 10 meetings overall.
Since Dec. 15, 2015, Nashville has picked up at least one point in 30 of 41 games against Calgary (22-11-8), losing in regulation just seven times during that stretch.
Tuesday’s game offers a chance for the Predators to hit the reset button. After a rocky November and a frustrating loss over the weekend, a win at home against a fellow struggling team could be just what this group needs to spark a turnaround.
Puck drops at 7 p.m. CST.