Hurricanes at Predators
It has not been a smooth start to the season for the Nashville Predators and they will try to get on track with four straight on home ice, beginning with a visit from the equally struggling Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. The Predators come home after a 1-2-2 road trip with just three wins in their first 10 games overall and 14 goals at even strength – near the bottom of the league.
“We’ve had moments where we’ve been really good,” Nashville center Ryan Johansen told the Tennessean. “We’ve got a young team in here. It’s all about consistency. As individuals and as a team, we’ve got to bring the same effort and same game every single time we get on the ice.” The Hurricanes have been just as disappointing as the Predators with two wins in nine games after a 2-1 overtime loss at Ottawa on Tuesday, but Carolina will play its eighth contest on the road Saturday. Jeff Skinner (11 points) and Victor Rask (10) are off to strong starts for the Hurricanes while they are looking for more from promising youngsters Sebastian Aho, Elias Lindholm and Teuvo Teravainen. The trio has two goals and nine points with a combined minus-11 rating.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Carolina, FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (2-4-3): While Lee Stempniak (six points) appears to be a solid free-agent signing, Carolina must add more consistent contributors along with fellow forwards Skinner and Rask to be a factor in the playoff race. Justin Faulk boasts three goals and fellow defenseman Noah Hanifin has six assists, but the duo is struggling a bit with a combined rating of minus-11. Cam Ward (six games) and Eddie Lack (three) have not been able help the Hurricanes pull out games while turning aside just 87.4 percent of the shots faced.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (3-5-2): The talented forward trio of James Neal (one), Filip Forsberg (zero) and Johansen (one) have combined for two goals in the early going while Craig Smith leads the team with five and Viktor Arvidsson owns four. Nashville went into Friday tied for the league lead with 12 power-play goals and stood second in percentage (30.0), but the unit has cashed in on just three of 21 attempts the last five games. Captain Mike Fisher (three goals) missed the last game of the trip with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Saturday’s contest.
OVERTIME
1. The teams have played five consecutive one-goal games with the Predators taking the last three.
2. Nashville G Pekka Rinne has been outstanding against the Hurricanes with a 6-1-0 record and .940 save percentage in seven games.
3. Carolina C Jordan Staal has gone three games without a point after scoring a goal in three of the first six contests.