9:30 PM CT – Nashville Predators (2-2-3) @ San Jose Sharks (7-0-0)
TV: FS Tennessee
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Last time out:
NSH- The Predators got back on the winning track with a 2-1 victory in Los Angeles. Pekka Rinne made 23 stops to keep the Preds in the game before they won it in the shootout, courtesy of Sergei Kostitsyn in the eighth round.
SJ- Joe Thornton and company claimed their seventh straight win to begin the season, their best start in franchise history. Their win Thursday also came via the shootout, a 3-2 victory over the high-flying Edmonton Oilers.
Players to watch:
NSH- Colin Wilson
Wilson is playing well on the top line despite only having one point this season, and he has played well against San Jose in his career. Can he finally break through tonight?
SJ- Patrick Marleau
With 47 points in 50 career games vs. Nashville, Marleau is a noted ‘Predators killer’. Not only that, but the 32-year-old veteran leads the NHL goals with nine.
Projected starting goaltenders:
NSH- Pekka Rinne (2012-13 stats: 1-2-3, 2.37 GAA)
SJ- Antti Niemi (2012-13 stats: 6-0-0, 1.95 GAA)
Projected depth chart; lineups from last game:
| Nashville Predators | ||
| Offense | ||
| Colin Wilson | Mike Fisher | Martin Erat |
| Gabriel Bourque | David Legwand | Brandon Yip |
| Nick Spaling | Craig Smith | Sergei Kostitsyn |
| Richard Clune | Paul Gaustad | Matt Halischuk |
| Brian McGrattan | ||
| Defense | Goalie | |
| Roman Josi | Shea Weber | Pekka Rinne |
| Scott Hannan | Kevin Klein | Chris Mason |
| Hal Gill | Ryan Ellis | |
| Jonathon Blum | ||
| San Jose Sharks | ||
| Offense | ||
| Patrick Marleau | Joe Thornton | Joe Pavelski |
| Scott Gomez | Logan Couture | Ryane Clowe |
| Martin Havlat | Michal Handzus | Tommy Wingels |
| James Sheppard | Adam Burish | Andrew Desjardins |
| T.J. Galiardi | ||
| Defense | Goalie | |
| Marc-Edouard Vlasic | Brad Stuart | Antti Niemi |
| Matt Irwin | Dan Boyle | Thomas Greiss |
| Douglas Murray | Justin Braun | |
| Jason Demers | Nick Petrecki | |
Injury report:
NSH- Patric Hornqvist (knee, out)
SJ- Brent Burns (lower body, questionable)
Keys to the game:
NSH- Play a disciplined game… No mistakes, no turnovers, and most importantly, no penalties. The Sharks’ power play has been mighty good in the early going – it’s currently the NHL’s fifth-best unit. But with the way their big guns are playing right now, it might as well be the most dangerous power play out there. The less time that unit spends on the ice, the more beneficial it will be to the Predators – so they need to stay out of the penalty box tonight.
SJ- Blitz the Preds early… Despite going 1-1-1 in the last three games, the Predators’ offense has scored just three goals total in those contests. The way their going on offense right now, a 2-0 or 3-0 lead for the Sharks may be an insurmountable deficit for the Predators. The Sharks always put their foot on the gas in the first period at home, but if they wreak havoc and get a couple early, it could be a long night for the Preds.
Numbers to know:
- 2011-12 season series vs. San Jose: Tied 2-2
- The Preds are 2-2-1 on the road this season … San Jose is 5-0-0 at home.
- Since the start of 2010-11, the Preds boast a 4-1-3 record against the Sharks.
- All-time, the Preds are 9-11-(1)-5 at HP Pavilion in San Jose. The Preds have dropped five of their last six games there.
- Pekka Rinne is 5-2-4 with a 2.29 GAA and .935 save percentage in 12 career games vs. San Jose. His counterpart, Antti Niemi, is 5-3-1 with a 2.48 GAA and .909 save percentage in 9 career games vs. Nashville.
- Shea Weber has 18 points in 23 career games vs. San Jose.
- Power play: Nashville (18.2%, 16th) … San Jose (30.8%, 5th)
- Penalty kill: Nashville (80.0%, 16th) … San Jose (83.3%, 9th)
Remember when?
Alexander Radulov scored his first NHL goal on October 26, 2006, against San Jose. Current Predator Scott Hannan was actually on the ice for San Jose during that goal…
