I am sure that Nashville is still on a high from that amazing overtime game the other night. Not only were the Predators able to get a win in overtime, but they did in the most dramatic fashion possible. They scored shorthanded with only a second left on the clock.

Nashville will hope to build on that win as they welcome in the Boston Bruins tonight, in what will undoubtedly be a hard fought game.

The Boston Bruins

The Bruins are right where most predicted them to be this season. They are firmly in the playoff discussion as they continue to be a consistently good team this year. Between their proven forwards, the off-season signings, and the play of Tuukka Rask, Boston is a team that everyone else should be keeping an eye on.

The Bruins are led by Brad Marchand, who continues to be an offensive beast for this team. Marchand leads the team in assist and points, and is second on the team in goals scored. He as also gotten help from other veteran forwards on the team like David Pastrnak and David Krejci. Both of those guys are second and third, respectively, on the team in points.

They have also been getting surprising production from their biggest off-season signing, David Backes. Backes has posted 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points so far. Is that highly impressive? No. But for a player like Backes, who most thought his best days were behind him, it is solid. If he can continue to produce consistently, other teams will have problems playing the Bruins.

The offensive production is great and all, but the real star for Boston has been goalie Tuukka Rask. He has been there to answer the call when the team has needed him the most this season. He has posted a 1.97 GAA and a .926 SV% this season. He has been a force all season, and I don’t expect anything less from him tonight.

The Nashville Predators

I am sure that the Nashville players and fans alike will be carrying the momentum from Tuesday’s big win into tonight’s contest. Not only did they get the overtime monkey off their back, but they won a game that most fans probably thought they couldn’t win this season.

The return of Viktor Arvidsson was huge for this team on Tuesday. He has been one of the bright spots of this season. Not only has Arvy emerged as a top line forward, but he also does the dirty work as well. I am sure coaches dream of a player that, not only has the skill to score, but is also willing to battle each and every possession. Good things always seem to happen when Arvy is on the ice, and I for one, am ecstatic to see him back on the ice.

Another bright spot on this team as of late has been Austin Watson. Watson has scored twice in as many games. More importantly, he has been providing some potential for secondary scoring while leading goal scorer, James Neal, is out on injury.

This team has been competitive lately. That has a lot to do with the play of both goalies. Both Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros have been playing excellent, and for a team that has lost a couple of their best offensive producers, they have been life savers. The Preds have the look of a team that seems to be slowly figuring it out, and I can only imagine that the return of Neal and P.K. Subban will only help the situation.

Reasons To Watch

• You have to watch purely for the goal tending match up. Whether it’s Rinne or Saros in net against Rask, all the goalies have been incredible this season, and I would expect the same level of play tonight.
• The Watson point streak watch is on! Can he extend his goal and point streak to three games tonight? Only way to find out is if you tune in to watch.
• I am sure every fan out there is waiting to see this team turn the corner for good. Tonight’s match up is a big one for this team as far as team confidence and momentum go. Every time the Preds seem to start gaining momentum, they lose a winnable game. Tonight, for me at least, is a must win.

Drink Of Choice For Game Time

I am going to switch it up from my normal beer choice today. I will be enjoying some quality Booker’s bourbon this evening.

Sights And Sounds

You can watch the game on FS-TN or stream it on the Fox Sports Go app. You can also listen to it live on 102.5 The Game. Puck drops at 7:00 pm CST.