After being a healthy scratch for the last three games Anthony Beauvillier is back in the lineup against the St. Louis Blues.
Beauvillier has been taking time to walk around Nashville and get acclimated to his new home in between games lately. Most of that time he’s in 12 South when he’s looking for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee.
“I was always excited to come here on the road and now to live here it makes it more special,” Beauvillier said.
Since joining the Predators he’s been on a line with new teammate Jason Zucker on the opposite wing and Colton Sissons as his centerman. Beauvillier has one assist in eight games with the Predators while altogether this season he has 15 points in 53 games.
The 26-year-old forward has spent some time on the Predator’s powerplay as well and since he was dealt to Nashville they are 6-for-30 on the man advantage. He walked through what learning the new scheme was like being a late addition this season.
“There’s a different voice and different terms but at the end of the day coming into this locker room they’ve made it easy for me,” Beauvillier said. “Coming in during that stretch of winning, it encouraged everything and we’re going to try and get back to that tonight.”
Anthony Beauvillier stretching during warmups in Winnipeg on March 13, 2024.
While Beauvillier continues to get used to his new digs he’s now on his fourth team in the last 430 days. He’s gone from the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and now Nashville.
He feels he’s gotten better despite being a nomad in his professional career as of late.
“When the game is a little slower and you can make more plays you seem to make the right decision at the right time,” Beauvillier said of when he’s playing with confidence. “When I’m on top of my game I play with instinct and my feet are moving so I’m going to try and do that tonight.”
As Beauvillier and the Predators look to get back on top of their game they must do so against a St. Louis Blues team that is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.
One way the Predators want to get after St. Louis is clicking on the powerplay which is 3-for-14 in their last five games.
Head coach Andrew Brunette wasn’t coy when saying he watches trends across the NHL when it comes to powerplay’s firing on all cylinders.
“Yeah, every day,” he said.
The results may not have been what Brunette feels they deserved but he’s mindful watching the process unfold in front of him as the Predators battle adversity.
From Luke Evangelista’s lens, he understands what Brunette is looking for out of the powerplay units. As the youngest player on the team, he’s been leaned on to be a consistent part of the special teams battles.
“It’s pace and speed, once we get set up in the zone it’s a matter of snapping the puck around fast,” Evangelista said. “If we get more passes on the tape we know we can break the penalty kill down and it’ll open up sooner or later.”
Evangelista said the Boston Bruins were one of the hardest teams to play on the powerplay this season. He said they’re up there without a doubt.
“Once you’re in the zone they’re coming after you every time you touch the puck,” Evangelista said. “Those aggressive PKs can be tough sometimes but at the same time if we’re moving them fast we can get them out of position and it’s a matter of executing.”
The Blues will not be an easy test either with their penalty kill allowing only three goals in their last 21 times being shorthanded.
Nashville’s magic number according to Playoff Status to clinch a playoff spot is four points. Stay tuned to see how it all pans out over the next few days as the regular season begins to wind down.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of Nashville Predators
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