Predators vs. Oilers: Two Frustrated Teams Take the Ice Tonight

The Nashville Predators face off against the Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers for the second time in less than a week, and the Preds desperately need a win.

Predators fans knew the December schedule would be challenging, but this month's stretch of hockey has been brutal. Nashville is 2-4-2 this month, and tonight they face a familiar foe in the Edmonton Oilers. 

Last Tuesday the Predators lost to the Oilers in a 6-3 game that highlighted the issues of this struggling Nashville team. The Preds had five power play opportunities but could not capitalize on even one of them, and two careless penalties gave Edmonton two power play goals. Finally, the Predators' big players didn't show up offensively. Ryan Johansen did have a goal, but the other two scores came via Cody Glass and Dante Fabbro (his first of the year). Forsberg, Niederreiter, Duchene, and Josi combined for fourteen shots but couldn't convert any of those into goals. 

Those same woes continued in Nashville's games against Winnipeg and Colorado. The Preds didn't score on five power play opportunities in those two games, and while Forsberg and Duchene each netted a goal in a game, that was the sum total of Predators' offensive production. 

The Edmonton Oilers have had plenty of frustration of their own over the last six days. The Oilers lost to the St. Louis Blues in a shootout, and dropped a surprising game to the Anaheim Ducks at home on Saturday night. Edmonton was up 3-1 against the Blues, but St. Louis came back to tie the game up with just :19 remaining in regulation. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl each missed their chances on the shoot out, and Jordan Kyrou won the game for St. Louis. 

The 4-3 regulation loss to the Anaheim Ducks was an especially frustrating loss for the Oilers. Despite putting 49 shots on goal and having six chances on the power play, the Oilers made mistakes that the Ducks cashed in. Leon Draisaitl was visibly frustrated after that game, and the Oilers will certainly channel all that emotion into the game tonight at Bridgestone Arena. 

Which team uses the frustration of the last six days to fuel their performance may decide the outcome of this game. Edmonton has been the Predators' kryptonite in the past few seasons, but this game may come down to which team manages to put a tough week behind them and make the necessary corrections to their game. 

It's an overused phrase - especially lately in Nashville - but tonight's game feels very "must win" for the Predators. Recent stats tell a damning story.  In their last six games, the Preds have gone 0-4-2, 0 for 20 on the power play, and been outscored 20-9. The special teams problems, execution issues, and lack of scoring from Nashville's top guys is raising the temperature, and it is anyone's guess whose seat will feel the hottest if the Preds can't find a way to get a win tonight. 

Expect plenty of fire from Edmonton as they work to get back on track. Zach Hyman scored his first career hat trick against the Preds last Tuesday, and Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Hyman will look to cash in again on the Predators. 

Goaltending may be a deciding factor in tonight's outcome.  Stuart Skinner started all but two games this month for the Oilers, but after a poor performance against the Ducks that earned him a .765 save percentage, there is a chance the Preds may face Jack Campbell in net again tonight. Kevin Lankinen got the start in last week's loss to Edmonton. Perhaps Juuse Saros can continue to keep Nashville in the game long enough to eke out a win. 

Ultimately, one team will leave the ice tonight slightly relieved while the other team's frustration will compound. The Predators need this win, but the Oilers may not oblige. Nashville welcomes Edmonton to Bridgestone Arena for a 7:00 pm CST puck drop. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South, and 102.5 The Game will have the radio call.