The Nashville Predators welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to Smashville for their last home game before heading out west for the annual CMA road trip. The Predators are off to their second best start in franchise history, looking for their seventh win tonight where the Pens are searching for the right combination to alleviate their 3-4 start. Head coach Mike Johnston shuffled lines at practice yesterday, splitting Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel and bumping former Pred Patric Hornqvist up to the first line.
The teams split the season series last year, each team winning on the road in a shutout, but this year, the Pens are winless on the road so far. Their power play has been firing blanks and the PK acceptable. They are very similar to the Tampa Bay Lightning, as head coach Peter Laviolette called out in his presser yesterday.
In an odd quirk… the Predators have not beaten Pittsburgh at Bridgestone Arena in almost six years, the last time being January 8, 2009. The only change in Nashville’s roster involves forward Viktor Arvidsson, who was sent down to Milwaukee to get some playing time. The play of Austin Watson has not given the youngster a chance to crack the lineup and his development needs ice time. Definite NHL potential.
Tonight’s goaltenders should be a premier matchup of Pekka Rinne vs. Marc-Andre Fluery, should be a good one,it’s a Golden Saturday at Bridgestone Arena, puck drop is 7pm CT. Complete coverage begins at 6:30 on Fox Sports Tennessee and the Predators Radio Network, 102.5 the Game is the flagship.
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Random Notes
- James Neal is on a four game point streak posting 5 goals and 3 assists in that span.
- Former Pred Matt Cullen is now on the Pens and will make his first appearance in Nashville since departing at the end of last season.
- The Montreal Canadiens are off to an 8-0-0 start and threatening the NHL record for win streak to start a season.
- To give you an idea of what a bad start will do to your playoff chances… Columbus’ 0-8 start has them with only a 2.8% chance of making the playoffs. October games do matter… (Stick tap to SportsClubStats.com)
- Evgeny Kuznetsov posted a hattie last night in a five point game against the Edmonton Oilers. Capitals coach Barry Trotz has to be happy to have that weapon back in his lineup.
- Jonathan Quick finally showed up last night… posting a 40 save shutout in the Kings 3-0 win over Carolina.
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