The Preds are back in action tonight for a late-night rematch against the Vancouver Canucks. They’ll be looking for revenge against their 2-3 loss last week, while Vancouver will be trying to build on a spectacularly successful season. The Canucks have gone 5-2-1, opening their season with a dominant 8-1 victory over the Oilers.
Elias Pettersson and JT Miller have been racking up the assists, while Brock Boeser has scored six goals in eight games (though only three of them in the last seven). Thatcher Demko has been spectacular in net, with a .936 sv% on the season, while Casey DeSmith has been less good.
The Preds have had a rougher season so far, with much more middling results. Filip Forsberg, Tommy Novak, and Ryan O’Reilly have been their most effective producers, with Roman Josi putting in a lot of work as usual. Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen have been sorely tested this season and it’s shown in their save percentages, but the season is early yet and some crisper defense could help restore Saros’s sv% to something shinier than the .915 it’s currently at.
Forsberg’s abysmal shooting luck this season is bound to turn itself around eventually, and it would be a real treat for us if that changes tonight. Yakov Trenin, too, is overdue for a goal.
The game airs at 9PM Central on Bally Sports South and 102.5 The Game.