The Nashville Predators need to get back to their road winning ways as they take on the L.A. Kings tonight at Crypto.com Arena.
The Nashville Predators play the second game of their three game road trip tonight against the L.A. Kings, and they are hoping for a return to their road winning ways after dropping Monday's game to the Vegas Golden Knights. Tonight will be the first of two meetings this season between the Predators and Kings, and it could have postseason implications in the Western Conference.
The Kings
The Kings started off the season with a 20-9-4 record through December, but it hasn't been an easy January for the team as they've lost seven of their last eight games. Three of those losses still earned them a point for a regulation tie, but the Kings couldn't get wins in extra time against Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Florida. On Tuesday, the Kings lost to the Dallas Stars 5-1.
The Predators
The 24-19-1 Predators find themselves in the somewhat surprising position of vying for a playoff chance, but games against teams like the L.A. Kings could be "make or break" when it comes to the postseason. The team has been through highs — a 13-3 stretch from mid November to mid December — and lows — losing five of their last seven home games. Consistency is the focus for the Predators as they try to string together wins through a challenging schedule until the All Star break.
Nashville's Keys to the Game
1. Capitalize on rush chances: 36-year-old Cam Talbot has been a solid goaltender for the Kings, and the Predators will need to find ways to beat Talbot or former Nashville-now LA backup David Rittich on rush chances. The Predators have generated opportunities off the rush this season but finishing on a few more of those chances could change the outcome of this game and this season
2. Get the power play going early - Nashville's first power play chance against the Golden Knights on Monday was a bit of a hot mess, and the second unit struggled to establish possession in the offensive zone and create threatening looks. The Predators went 0/4 overall on the power play in that game. Nashville can't afford to pass up special teams opportunities, but it is going to be a real challenge against the Kings who currently have the most effective penalty kill in the league.
3. Top line production - Nashville can't rely solely on Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist for their offense, but it seems as the top line goes, so go the Predators. Whether it is a slick pass from Forsberg, wins in the face off circle by O'Reilly, or controlled zone entries from Nyquist, when these three are at their best the Predators are a harder team to beat.
Players to Watch
Kings: Trevor Moore
The undrafted winger has already scored a career high 20 goals in 41 games this season playing on a line with Phillip Danault and former Predator Kevin Fiala.
Predators: Luke Evangelista
The 21-year-old has scored five goals in his last eight games and may be finding his stride in his first full NHL season. If he and line mate Tommy Novak can continue rebuilding their early season chemistry, Evangelista could be a playmaker in the game tonight.
How to Watch
Tonight's game at Crypto.com Arena will be exclusively broadcast on ESPN+ and Hulu while 102.5 The Game will have the radio call. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 pm CT.