The Carolina Hurricanes begin a stretch of three games in four nights tonight on Broadway against the Nashville Predators. The Canes are coming off a pretty good week, winning four straight against division opponents, three of which came in the shootout. They swept their home-and-home over the weekend with the Flyers, opening up a small lead in the Metropolitan Division.
Along with their newfound success in the shootout, the team finally welcomed Jaccob Slavin back to the lineup after missing the previous 29 contests. He didn't play much, but he was still making plays as we're accustomed to seeing. Brandon Bussi also extended his personal win streak to nine games, tying Cam Ward for the franchise record.
On the Other Side: Nashville Predators
Last meeting: The Predators visited Raleigh ten days ago, and the Hurricanes dominated. Jackson Blake scored twice and was a skate blade away from a hat trick, while Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal and two assists. The Canes chased Juuse Saros in the third period after making it 6-1, and they'd go on to win it, 6-3, in the first half of a back-to-back.
Since falling in Raleigh, the Predators have played four games, winning three of them. They've only played two opponents, a pair against the Avalanche and the Blues. Nashville pulled off an upset win over the Avalanche in their first meeting, blowing a third-period lead before winning in a shootout. Their lone loss was in regulation to Colorado, and they dominated St. Louis on both occasions.
Filip Forsberg is starting to heat up. He had a goal and assist against the Canes, beginning a five-game point streak. He has eight points during his streak, which includes his 12th career hat trick on Monday against the Blues. Forsberg now sits atop the team in goals (14) and is second to Ryan O'Reilly in points (25).
Juuse Saros has also turned things around since being pulled in the third period in Raleigh. He's won his last three starts, allowing just seven goals and posting a .922 save percentage. He made 39 stops in regulation and three more in the shootout in their win over the Avalanche. His start against the Canes is the only blemish in his last six.
Predators to Watch
Luke Evangelista: On a team with several potential trade pieces and grizzly veterans, Evangelista stands out as a potential core member of the Predators. His goal scoring hasn't quite come through, but he's setting his teammates up for success. His 19 assists lead the Predators, and his 23 points are third to Ryan O'Reilly and Filip Forsberg.
Ryan O'Reilly: Speaking of the Predators' leading scorer, O'Reilly is on a bit of a heater, too. He was held off the scoresheet against the Canes, though he won 62.5 percent of his draws. Since his scoreless outing, O'Reilly has points in four straight contests, including two assists on Monday. With his time in Nashville likely to end before the deadline, he's helping his case for a decent return.
Hurricanes to Watch
Sebastian Aho: If anyone has seen the real Aho lately, please let him know that we would like him back. Clearly, the Aho we've seen over the last five games isn't the same man. He's on a five-game scoreless drought, and his overall impact on the game has been incredibly limited. If there's one positive, he's starting to win more draws, winning better than 50 percent in four of those five games.
Alexander Nikishin: On the other end of the spectrum, Nikishin has points in three straight games, including his first point on the power play on Sunday against the Flyers. This hot streak comes after he had just one point in his last 13 games. The bounces are starting to go his way a little more recently, leading to sustained success.