Ducks at Predators
Nashville left wing James Neal offers a simple explanation as to why he's hot as the Predators prepare to host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. "Just confidence, I think," the 28-year-old Ontario native told reporters after scoring twice for the second straight game in a 5-4 shootout victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. "When you're getting the bounces and you're scoring goals, you want the puck. ... I don't know how you can keep that around all year, but I'll definitely try to."
Nashville is off to a 5-1-0 start but must figure out a way to solve Anaheim, which won all three meetings last season - one via shootout - and has prevailed in eight of the last nine encounters dating to the start of 2012-13. The Ducks, who begin a five-game trek versus Central Division teams, secured their first victory of the season with a 4-1 triumph over Minnesota on Sunday after scoring once during their 0-3-1 start. Defenseman Kevin Bieksa, playing his first season with Anaheim, looks forward to the bonding experience that comes with a road trip. "It can be underestimated how important it is to spend time with your teammates,” Bieksa told reporters. “To hang out with them and go through tough times, travel with them. At the end of the day, it makes you closer. Closer teams always do better in tough times.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (1-3-1): Captain Ryan Getzlaf and former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry have yet to score, and each has notched one assist while combining to go minus-5 this season. Clayton Stoner (lower body) took part in a full practice Tuesday and is expected to play after missing the last three games, while fellow defenseman Simon Despres (concussion) "isn't ready yet,'' according to coach Bruce Boudreau. Ryan Kesler had a maintenance day Tuesday and could be feeling the effects of a big hit from Minnesota's Mikael Granlund on Sunday which sent him to the locker room.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (5-1-0): Neal thrives on a line centered by Filip Forsberg, who assisted on both of Neal's goals Tuesday for his first multi-point effort of the season and scored the deciding goal in the shootout. “He’s really working his body down low,” Forsberg told reporters about Neal. “He’s a big guy and can really protect the puck. He’s a really good skater with a goal sense, and he’s got a really good shot, so I just try to find him as much as I can.” Barret Jackman (upper body) is expected to return to the lineup while fellow defenseman Ryan Ellis, who took a shot off his right knee during a 4-3 shootout victory in Ottawa on Saturday, remains day-to-day after both players missed Tuesday's contest.
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim (0-for-13) is the only team without a power-play goal but ranked first on the penalty kill (11-for-12) entering Wednesday's games.
2. Nashville was fifth in penalty-killing (14-for-16) and ninth on the power play (4-for-22) through Tuesday's contests.
3. Neal has taken a team-leading 26 shots, followed by C Craig Smith (three goals on 17 shots).