Tonight is game two of the Nashville Predators‘ current home stand. The San Jose Sharks are in town after dropping their last two games against the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.
Head coach Andrew Brunette went with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen on Tuesday night. That will not be the case tonight with the San Jose Sharks in town.
“I think we’ll go 12 and 6. It’s probably not an everyday solution. Just thought with a couple of days off we were trying to get some guys in the lineup,” Andrew Brunette said.
“We’ve been carrying 8 defensemen, so it’s been competitive back there. Trying to give them at least some game action, but I think with 11 forwards in as many games in a condensed schedule is tough to do every night.”
Defenseman Jack Ahcan will come out of the lineup for the Predators tonight. Jayden Struble will play in his third game with the Nashville Predators since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens last week and likely be paired with Adam Wilsby on the blue line.
Goalie Juuse Saros was the first goalie off the ice following an optional skate. His usual backup, Justus Annunen, was also present for practice but remains on injured reserve.
Annunen can come off IR as soon as he is deemed ready for game action.
Status of injured Nashville skaters
Forward Mavrik Bourque, who is still day-to-day with an upper-body injury, was on the ice for practice this morning. Brunette called him and Annunen game-time decisions for the second game in a row this week.
Defenseman William Trudeau is still on IR as well and carries a status of week-to-week after playing in one period against Montreal last week.
For the time being, it’s still Vitali Pinchuk playing as the third-line center for the Nashville Predators. Tonight will be his third NHL game, and he had a few chances to score on Tuesday.
“I need more work around the net, and maybe I’ll get my first goal,” Pinchuk said Thursday morning.
The Belarusian forward has also been getting tips from his linemates in the first handful of games he’s played in. So far, those linemates have been Ross Colton and Alexander Kerfoot.
“Yeah, I talk with the boys, of course. They told me what we can do going east to west. Little things, but we communicate, and it helps me out.”
On-ice adjustments for Nashville
Andrew Brunette addressed how the Predators were tossing pucks away in their most recent loss against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 5-on-5 play saw the Nashville Predators not being able to generate consistent opportunities for the bulk of the 5-2 loss.
Tonight, they will be tested to improve against a talented San Jose Sharks team.
“We have to be stronger on the puck. That’s something a whole for us,” Brunette said. “We haven’t had the offensive zone time that we normally have. I attribute that to two things. We’ve thrown too many pucks away, kinda hoping things will happen instead of being connected and making things happen.”
“Trusting who you’re playing with. We’ve played tough defensive teams, which have been great right from the start. It’s really exposed some of those puck battles, etc., in the offensive zone. When we’re better at it, we’ll create more.”
Nashville will have to get away from the one-and-done plays regardless of who they go up against.
The key for the Predators to beat the Sharks will be to play consistent hockey, trusting each other to be in the right places at the right time.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Nashville Predators Lineup Change Before Clash Against San Jose