The Nashville Predators are heading into their final game before the Olympic break, and they’re doing it with a mix of urgency and opportunity. Tonight, they take the ice at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., for a 6 p.m.
CT puck drop against the Capitals - a team they already topped once this season. With a three-week pause looming, Nashville has one last shot to bank two crucial points and head into the break on a high note.
One More Push Before the Break
After a wild 6-5 comeback win over the Blues on Monday, the Predators found themselves on the wrong side of the same score Wednesday night, falling in overtime to the Minnesota Wild. That loss stung, and it showed in the postgame locker room.
“We’ve got three periods left,” said forward Luke Evangelista. “These points matter more to us than anyone in the League.
We know the position we’re in. We just got to give it our all for three more periods.
Find a way to scratch out two points.”
That’s the mindset heading into tonight’s matchup - one last all-in effort before the team gets a breather.
Lineup Notes and Roster Moves
Nashville made a few lineup tweaks heading into the final stretch. Rookie forward Reid Schaefer was recalled from Milwaukee and logged his 26th NHL game on Wednesday.
On the blue line, Nic Hague returned to action after missing time with a lower-body injury, giving the Preds a boost on defense. Meanwhile, Ozzy Wiesblatt and Justin Barron were healthy scratches against Minnesota.
Offense Clicking, but Defense Needs Tightening
The Predators have scored 12 goals in their last two games. That’s the good news.
The bad news? They’ve also allowed 11.
The offense is humming, with five different skaters - Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Erik Haula, Evangelista, and Roman Josi - lighting the lamp against the Wild. But defensively, there’s work to be done.
Juuse Saros was in net for that OT loss and now sits at 21-17-5 on the season. Justus Annunen, the backup, is 5-6-2. If Nashville wants to head into the break with momentum, they’ll need to tighten up in their own zone.
Ryan O’Reilly continues to be a steady force, notching three assists last game and pushing his season totals to 20 goals and 56 points. Forsberg (24 goals, 47 points) and Stamkos (28 goals, 44 points) are right behind him. Evangelista has emerged as a key playmaker with 34 assists and 42 points, while Josi - always a threat from the back end - has 11 goals and 39 points.
Scouting the Capitals
Washington had built some momentum with three straight wins before falling 4-2 to the Flyers on Tuesday. Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin lead the way offensively with 22 goals apiece. Dylan Strome and John Carlson are also producing, each sitting at 45 points on the season.
The Capitals’ goaltending situation is a bit murky. Logan Thompson (18-16-4) and Charlie Lindgren (8-6-3) have both dealt with injuries, which has opened the door for Clay Stevenson, who’s picked up two wins in three appearances this year.
A Bit of History Between These Clubs
Nashville holds a 21-14-(1)-4 all-time record against Washington, including a 9-8-(0)-2 mark on the road. The recent matchups have been fairly even - 5-5-0 in the last 10, and 3-2-0 in the last five in D.C.
There’s also some notable history off the ice. Predators GM Barry Trotz coached the Capitals from 2014 to 2018, leading them to a Stanley Cup in 2018. His record in Washington: 205-89-34 over 328 games.
And let’s not forget Filip Forsberg’s backstory - originally drafted 11th overall by the Capitals in 2012, he was traded to Nashville in 2013 for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. That move has aged very well for the Predators.
Milestones and Notables
- Steven Stamkos continues to climb the all-time power-play goals list. His tally against the Wild tied him with Brendan Shanahan (237) for seventh in NHL history, passing none other than Mario Lemieux (236).
- Roman Josi’s game-tying goal put him in elite company among European defensemen.
He’s now tied with Erik Karlsson and Zdeno Chara (41) for third-most game-tying goals by a defenseman born outside North America. Only Nicklas Lidstrom (54) and Sergei Gonchar (51) have more.
- Michael Bunting hit the 400-game mark in his NHL career on Feb. 4.
- Jonathan Marchessault is one assist shy of 300, while Brady Skjei is three points away from hitting 300 as well.
How to Watch and Listen
Coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. CT with *Predators LIVE!
- on FanDuel Sports Network South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Willy Daunic and Chris Mason will be on the TV call, while Pete Weber and Hal Gill handle the radio broadcast on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network.
Final Word
The Olympic break is coming, but the Predators still have business to take care of. With playoff positioning on the line and momentum up for grabs, expect a focused, high-energy effort from a team that knows what’s at stake.
Three periods. Two points.
One last push before the pause.