Road trips can be tough and the Nashville Predators must be excited to get it over with. Filip Forsberg will look to make an impact in his first game back.
No team likes road trips but they’re a part of hockey. After some hard-fought games, the Nashville Predators will look to head home on a high note. Standing in the way of Smashville is P.K. Subban‘s old squad, the Montreal Canadiens. Les Habitants are far out of a playoff spot but will look to get a win in front of the home fans, to somehow prove that they made the right choice in trading away their old “locker room cancer”. No offense to Shea Weber, but I think we all know who won that trade.
On top of a poor season, injuries aren’t helping a struggling Habs team. Shea Weber has been dealing with a foot injury since the first game of the season and remains on the IR, he will not play tonight. Phillip Danault is a wonderful middle six player who’s been a fun and speedy option but he’s out with a head injury. Lastly, noted pest Andrew Shaw is still dealing with a lower-body injury after a month on the IR. Let’s take a look at who’s still there.
Les Habitants
Max Pacioretty may be on his way out according to insiders, but for Saturday night, he’s still a Canadien. The sharp-shooting winger might be having a down year but can put the puck in the net faster than a speeding bullet. He has 16 goals and 33 points in 54 games but could catch fire instantly. He’ll need constant supervision.
Does anyone else feel bad for Alex Galchenyuk? He’s a wonderful offensive player and a natural center, yet the Canadiens, who lack a true #1 center, refuse to put him there for more than a game at a time. He’s a beautiful passer and a good possession player, with 32 points in 54 games. My favorite bit of info with Galchenyuk is that he regularly plays in the bottom six because his past two coaches do not like him. He’s especially dangerous on the power play.
There aren’t too many nice things to say about the defense, but Jeff Petry deserves some kind words. He has 25 points in 54 games and is a good puck moving defenseman. He’ll look to make something out of nothing on the backend.
I also can’t mention the Canadiens without discussing Carey Price. Despite a terrible contract and terrible players around him, he can steal a game at will. If he’s in net, there’s a chance the game ends scoreless.
The Nashville Predators
Filip Forsberg makes his return to the Nashville Predators after a 3 game suspension. Here is the roster.
Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen–Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala–Kyle Turris–Craig Smith
Scott Hartnell–Nick Bonino–Calle Jarnkrok
Miikka Salomaki–Colton Sissons–Austin Watson
Mattias Ekholm-P.K. Subban
No goaltender has been officially announced but the common thought is that Pekka Rinne will get the nod.
Keys to the game
- No dumb penalties: The Canadiens have some slick passers on their team, and they have a knack for penetrating the slot on the powerplay. You can only give them so many chances before they make you pay.
- Roll all four lines: The Predators have one of the deepest teams in the NHL, they need to use that to their advantage.
Where to watch
The game will be on the NHL network at 6 PM Central time. You can listen to the match on 102.5 The Game.