The Nashville Predators were gifted a two-day rest after an undefeated week capped off by a 3-2 shootout victory against the New York Islanders. Now, jumping in the plane for what will be a nearly two-week road trip, the Predators will first arrive in Alberta to take on the red-hot Calgary Flames tonight.
The Flames
Led by Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau on the offensive side of the puck, the Flames have been setting the league on fire. Calgary has won its last six games (in a row) by a combined score of 25-7. Lindholm is tied for second in goals scored across the league at seven, and Gaudreau is tied for second in assists at nine.
The Predators will find no salvation in the Flames’ goaltending, either; Jacob Markstrom is third in the NHL in save percentage with a score of .957. The season is still young, so sample sizes are still somewhat small, but the early returns on this squad should scare every team in the league.
The Predators
After an up-and-down start to the season, Nashville might have found its groove in the past week. Three straight wins is a great way to garner momentum before a road trip, so the Preds will be hoping to carry that into the time away from Music City. Tanner Jeannot has three goals in his last three games, and Filip Forsberg has two in that span. Facing a team with as much offensive firepower as Calgary, the Predators will need scoring from every level.
Reasons to Watch
As Nashville embarks on its first true road trip of the season, it could be a time where the team begins to come into the form that it will reside in for most of the year. Road trips can also be moments where a team figures some stuff out and comes back home with a new sense of confidence. Those scenarios, among others, could occur on this trip. Regardless, that trip starts tonight against one of the best teams in the NHL.
How to Watch
Tonight’s game against the Flames can be found on Bally Sports South; puck drop is at 8 p.m.