This cross-conference clash pits the middle-of-the-pack Nashville Predators against the strong Boston Bruins in a battle of contrasting styles: Nashville’s speed and skill up front meets Boston’s veteran grit, physical play, and goaltending edge at home. The Bruins, with a solid home record, look to leverage their depth against a Predators team fighting for playoff positioning in the Central Division.
Event Details
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT)
Broadcast/Streaming: NESN (local Boston), FDSS (local Nashville), NHL Network, ESPN+, NHL Power Play
Records: Nashville Predators (24-23-4, ~.500, mid-pack Central Division), Boston Bruins (30-21-2, strong Atlantic Division contender)
Injury Report
Nashville Predators:
Nicolas Hague (D): Out / Week-to-Week (Lower Body Injury) — Suffered in recent game, expected out for this matchup and potentially longer.
No other major new absences reported for key forwards or goaltenders; core like Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros appear available.
Predators’ defense takes a hit without Hague’s physicality and puck-moving.
Boston Bruins:
Jordan Harris (D): Out (IR – Long Term) — Ongoing absence impacting blue-line depth.
Other potential management for veterans (e.g., historical notes on Charlie McAvoy or others), but no new major reports; David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Jeremy Swayman expected to play.
Bruins remain relatively healthy in forward group, with depth holding strong.
Key Player Matchups
Forward Lines: Nashville’s Filip Forsberg (elite scorer, high-volume shooter) vs. Boston’s David Pastrnak (top-tier goal-scorer, recent hot streaks). Both can swing momentum with snipes.
Top Defense: Predators’ Roman Josi (all-around puck-mover, power-play QB) vs. Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy (physical shutdown defender). Josi’s offense vs. McAvoy’s defense could decide transition play.
Goaltending: Nashville’s Juuse Saros (high-save percentage, strong recent form) vs. Boston’s Jeremy Swayman (elite puck-stopper, home dominance). Edge to Boston’s tandem if healthy.
Key X-Factor: Bruins’ physical forecheck and home-ice energy vs. Predators’ speed in transition. If Nashville’s power play clicks (strong with Josi/Forsberg), they can keep it close; Boston’s penalty kill ranks highly.
Recent Team Form
Predators: Mixed results around .500. Recent loss 2-5 to Utah (late January), showing defensive lapses. Offense averages ~3.0+ goals per game (mid-tier), but goaltending has kept them competitive. Struggling on road in tough matchups.
Bruins: Strong momentum with 30-21-2 record. Recent wins include 4-3 over Montreal and high-scoring outputs (e.g., 10-2 blowout earlier in month). Elite offense (3.2+ GPG) and defense (2.8 allowed), with home form dominant.
Series History
All-time: Bruins hold slight edge (20-17-1-1 in 39 games). Predators have won more away games historically (11-9 in Boston venues), but Bruins dominate recent meetings. Games often low-scoring and physical; last few favor Boston’s veteran experience.
Betting Trends
Bruins cover in recent home favorites; Predators struggle as road underdogs (poor ATS away). Total trends OVER in Bruins’ high-scoring games, but UNDER in defensive battles.
Game Odds
Nashville Predators 6.5
Boston Bruins – 110
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, January 26, 2026
