The Nashville Predators are coming into tonight’s matchup with the Washington Capitals. They just defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-2 and earned their first win on North American soil for the 2022-23 season. Now, they face a consistently strong Eastern Conference opponent, but one that they usually have success against.
The last game for the Predators was one full of puck possession and creating high-danger chances. As much as some of the lineup decisions made by John Hynes were confusing and downright annoying, considering the direction fans want to see this team go, the players that played worked hard and scored goals. Tonight, against a high-powered Capitals lineup, they’re going to need to do the same.
The usual suspects for Washington are leading the charge over the last five games. Defender John Carlson is leading the team in points (6) and assists (4) in that span, while Alex Ovechkin leads the team in goals (3). Darcy Kuemper is the projected starting goaltender for tonight’s contest, sporting a 3-3-0 record, a 2.89 goals-against average, and a .903 save percentage. His last appearance was a loss to the Dallas Stars, so he will be looking to bounce back against another Central Division opponent.
As for the Predators, Mikael Granlund leads the team in points (5) and assists (4) over the last five games, while Tanner Jeannot—after not scoring in his first four games—has goals in three of his last four to lead the team. The projected starter for the gold and navy is once again Juuse Saros, who took the win against the Blues and helped his record to 2-3-1 on the season. In terms of numbers, he has a 2.86 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
The Predators succeed when their top line is firing on all cylinders, and they are. Every member of the line is tied at the top of the Predators’ scoring leaderboard, while Ovechkin, Carlson, and Dylan Strome sit at the top of the Capitals’ box score.
Predators Player to Watch: Roman Josi
Roman Josi has not had the start to the season that many probably expected him to have, but with a three-point night against the Blues, the hope is that he can carry that into tonight’s game and beyond. Look for him to try and build off of that great performance tonight.
How to Watch
Puck drop is at 7:00 pm CDT tonight, and you can watch on Bally Sports South, with the radio broadcast on 102.5 The Game as usual.