The Nashville Predators have been hot as of late being winners of five in a row. Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Predators are 10-10-0 this season. Nashville is riding its longest win streak since the start of the 2022 calendar year and can get to six in a row tonight.
So how will they be deployed out on the ice tonight after beating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Sunday?
“Yeah, similar idea tonight,” Brunette said when asked about dressing seven defensemen. “I think we’ll see what exactly happens. We’re kind of battling a little bit of injury and make sure we’re good to go, but that could be a possibility.”
Nashville reassigned defenseman Spencer Stastney today after practice ahead of taking on the Penguins. Stastney played in five games picking up his first career goal against St. Louis. He rejoins the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League who are 9-6-1 this season.
At morning skate defenseman Dante Fabbro was seen skating with Tyson Barrie. Fabbro has missed the last three games as a healthy scratch and according to Brunette, there’s not anything worrisome to have on his radar in terms of Fabbro’s play.
“Dante has been consistent all year,” Brunette said. “Coming in you hear about his lack of consistency but he’s been pretty much the same all year and he’s been good for us. Probably [roster] number dictates it, we’re going to have to shovel guys in and out here. Nobody has played poorly enough that you have to scratch him. it’s just a numbers game right now. When he goes back in I think you’ll get what we’ve seen all year which has been good solid hockey.”
How has Fabbro viewed watching his team the last few games as they continue to click on all cylinders?
“I think we’re putting a full effort together. There are pushes and lulls in games but I thought the way we responded after a lull or something like that was good,” Fabbro said of taking in the last few games.”
Then in terms of there being competition for ice time, Fabbro says he’ll stay ready when his name is called to jump back into the lineup.
Defenseman Luke Schenn was Nashville’s seventh defenseman on Sunday without having a true partner to play alongside throughout the night. Schenn didn’t see as much time in the third period of Sunday’s game logging three shifts which was good for 2:58. His third and final shift was when the Jets cut the lead down to one goal.
“It’s nice to have a guy like that back in the lineup,” Fabbro said of Schenn. “He has a lot of experience so anytime you can get a veteran like that back in — his presence alone for sure — is big for us. He’s pretty intimidating out there too so that helps, it can free some other guys up to do things.”
In terms of the Predators matchup against a deep Penguins team down the middle Andrew Brunette is without Tommy Novak and Cody Glass at the moment. He’ll have to lean on matchups and a young face to step up against either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.
“There are quite a few weapons there with two Hall of Famers up the middle,” Brunette said of faceoff matchups tonight. “We’ll try to manage it the best we can. We feel that we’re pretty strong up the middle with Pärssinen coming along and Sissons is a good two-way player in the game. We’re comfortable but the flow of the game will dictate where the matchups go.”
One thing to keep a close eye on is forward Gustav Nyquist’s point streak. In the last eight games, he has 10 points. He scored the eventual game-winner on Sunday and has not seen a point streak past seven points since 2018.
Nyquist said he is not superstitious when he’s on a heater. He just keeps the same routine no matter what.
“When the puck is going in and you’re scoring points you have a little more confidence but you have to remind yourself at times when you aren’t scoring that you have to keep doing the right things,” Nyquist said. “For our line, we’re having fun out there and working for each other. That’s the biggest thing for us.”
Tonight will mark Nyquist’s 14th game playing with O’Reilly and fellow countryman Filip Forsberg. Since hopping on a line with them they’ve combined for 45 points.
“Talking I think we just want to keep improving,” Nyquist said of playing with his teammates on the top line. “You play different teams and a certain team is defending a certain way that you notice in the first period and we might sit on the bench and notice what they’re doing and try something different. Small little things, we’ve all played the game for a while and we think the game similarly.”
Then on the powerplay Nashville has seen success with their units scoring 17 on the man-advantage this season. How has playing special teams changed for the 14-year veteran?
“The league has way more skill now than it used to when I first came in and I think that shows on the man-advantage,” Nyquist said. “The skill comes out a little more, you have a little more time. I think it comes down to how the units work and how they think the game, the five guys out on the ice.”
Nyquist said forward Ryan O’Reilly is one of the best guys as a middle bumper player in the NHL.
Skaters in the league today are more skilled in certain aspects as teams evolve and as for Nyquist, he’s been clicking with his unit so far alongside O’Reilly, Colton Sissons, Forsberg, and Roman Josi.
Catch all the action tonight by listening to 102.5 The Game as Pete Weber calls his 2,000th game for the Predators starting at 7 p.m.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of Nashville Predators
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