NASHVILLE PREDATORS NOTES:
ALL-TIME vs. DALLAS
OVERALL (106 GP) 49-51-(1)-5
HOME (54 GP) 31-20-(1)-2
ROAD (52 GP) 18-31-(0)-3
LAST MEETING Jan. 6, 2024 at DAL (W, 4-3)
PLAYOFFS (0-1) 2019 First Round (L, 4-2)
− The Predators are 49-51-(1)-5 all-time against the Stars, including an 18-31-(0)-3 record on the road. − This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Dallas in 2023-24; it is the second and final at American Airlines Center. − Nashville is 1-1-0 against Dallas this season, most recently picking up a 4-3 win on the road on Saturday. Filip Forsberg (2g), Gustav Nyquist (1g-1a) and Ryan O’Reilly (2a) each had two points for Nashville. − The Predators are 1-4-0 in their last five games against the Stars; they are 4-6-0 in their last 10; and 2-3-0 in their last five on the road. − The Predators went 0-4-0 against the Stars last season, dropping the four contests by a combined score of 17-5. − Nashville has scored at least four goals (including the shootout winner) in 12 of its last 21 victories over Dallas. − Nashville and Dallas met in the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, with the Predators falling, 4-2, in front of 85,630 fans – the second-most attended NHL game in history. Matt Duchene and Dante Fabbro scored for the Predators.
NOTABLES vs. DALLAS
− Juuse Saros is 12-9-1 in his career vs. Dallas, posting three shutouts, a 2.56 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 22 games. − Kevin Lankinen is 5-2-1 in eight career games against the Stars. − Roman Josi owns 33 career points (12g-21a) vs. the Stars, tied for the second-most against a single opponent in his NHL career. − Filip Forsberg has 14 goals and 26 points in 40 career meetings with Dallas. His 14 goals against the Stars are his fourthmost against an individual team in his career. − Michael McCarron (Dec. 19, 2015) and Ryan McDonagh (Jan. 7, 2011) made their NHL debuts against Dallas. − Stars forwards Matt Duchene (2019-23), Craig Smith (2011-20) and defenseman Ryan Suter (2005-12) are former Predators players.
RECENT RUN
− The Predators are 17-8-1 in their last 26 games. Since Nov. 18, the Predators are third in the NHL in points with 35 (17-8-1). They have scored the joint eighth-most goals in the NHL (83) and are tied for 12th in goals-against per game (3.00) in that span. − Nashville recorded a six-game win streak from Nov. 18-28. It was Nashville’s first six-game win streak since claiming seven in a row from Dec. 4-17, 2021. The franchise record is 10 games, set from Feb. 19-March 8, 2018; the Predators also won eight in a row from Oct. 5-25, 2005. − The Predators are 8-1-1 on the road since Nov. 24, tied for the second-most points in the NHL in that span (17).
QUICK HITS
− Nashville’s forward line of Forsberg-O’Reilly-Nyquist is 11th in the NHL in expected goal percentage (at least 300 minutes together at 5-on-5) at 53.3 percent per MoneyPuck.com. − The Predators have three defensive pairs (who have spent at least 180 minutes together at 5-on-5) in the Top 30 in expected goals percentage, per MoneyPuck.com: McDonagh-Carrier (third, 59.7 percent); Josi-McDonagh (27th, 54.1 percent); and Josi-Fabbro (28th, 54 percent). − The Predators are tied for 12th in the NHL in power-play goals with 29. Nashville has scored multiple power-play goals in the same game six times this season; the Predators did so nine times in 2022-23. − Ten players 25-years-old or younger have played in a game for Nashville in 2023-24: Yaroslav Askarov, Marc Del Gaizo, Luke Evangelista, Dante Fabbro, Samuel Fagemo, Liam Foudy, Cody Glass, Juuso Parssinen, Spencer Stastney and Philip Tomasino. − Nashville leads the NHL in hits per 60 minutes (22.08) and hits (911). − The Predators have scored the first goal of a game 23 times (16-7-0), tied for the fourth-most in the NHL.
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Jan. 11 – Loaned G Matt Murray to Texas (AHL)
Jan. 10 – Recalled G Matt Murray from Texas (AHL)
INJURIES
Man-games lost, 2023-24: 27
NAME INJURY # OF GAMES DATES
C Roope Hintz Upper body 1 Oct. 12
C Radek Faksa Upper body 4 Nov. 1-6
C Matt Duchene Upper body 1 Nov. 6
D Thomas Harley Upper body 3 Nov. 14-20
C Craig Smith Illness 2 Nov. 22-24
C Roope Hintz Illness 1 Dec. 9
G Jake Oettinger Lower body 12 Dec. 16-pres.
D Miro Heiskanen Lower body 3 Jan. 6-pres
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Stars close out their two-game homestand tonight against the Nashville Predators at American Airlines Center. (7 p.m. CT, Bally Sports Southwest, The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). This is the second time in six days these two teams are battling in Dallas. The third of four meetings this season, they’ll meet once more on Feb. 15 at Bridgestone Arena. Dallas enters tonight’s matchup in third place in the Central Division with 53 points (24-11-5). Nashville sits in fourth place in the Central with 45 points (22-18-1).
TALE OF THE TAPE
– The Stars are 1-1-0 against the Preds this season, winning 3-2 at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 23 and losing 4-3 at American Airlines Center on Jan. 6. – Dallas is 56-38-12 all-time vs. Nashville, including a 34-14-4 mark at home. – The Stars have points in seven of the past nine (6-2-1) overall and in seven of the past nine at American Airlines Center (5-2-2). – Forward Joe Pavelski ranks first among active in goals (23) and points (23-25—48) and second in assists (25) a team-high 64 career games vs. Nashville. He also paces the club in power-play goals (11) and game-winning tallies (7) against them. – Captain Jamie Benn leads active Stars in assists (26) and ranks second in goals (16) and points (16-26—42) in 63 career games against the Preds. – Forward Matt Duchene has 11 goals and 32 points (11-21—31) in 36 games against his former club. Duchene played four seasons in Nashville, tallying 197 points (84-113—197) in 249 regular-season games. He set career highs in goals (43), points (43-43—86) and power-play goals (16) during the 2021-22 campaign, recording the second-most points in a season in Predators history. – Among active Stars, forward Roope Hintz shares third in goals (11) and fifth in points (11-12—23) in 23 career games vs. Nashville. – Forward Mason Marchment scored his first of two goals against Nashville in the 2022-23 season opener just 2:31 into his Dallas debut, recording the fourth-fastest goal by a player from the start of their career with the franchise, following Mark Parrish (3 G on Nov. 7, 2008), Fabian Brunnstrom (3 G on Oct. 15, 2008), Jaromir Jagr (2 G on Jan. 19, 2013), Dave Archibald (2 G on Oct. 10, 1987), Marc Habscheid (2 G on Jan. 27, 1986) and Jean Potvin (2 G on Nov. 1, 1978). – Forward Tyler Seguin has 11 goals and 23 points (11-12—23) in 42 career games against the Predators. – With a goal (1-0—1) in the 2022-23 season opener, forward Wyatt Johnston became the youngest player in franchise history to score a goal in his NHL debut (19 years, 151 days) and second youngest in franchise history with at least one goal in his NHL debut, behind Dave Archibald (18 years, 179 days on Oct. 10, 1987). Mike Modano (19 years, 120 days on Oct. 5, 1989) scored in his first regular-season NHL game but had debuted during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. – Forward Evgenii Dadonov has nine assists and 11 points (2-9—11) in 15 career games against the Predators. – Defenseman Miro Heiskanen has 13 points (4-9—13) in 25 career games vs. Nashville. – Defenseman Ryan Suter ranks third among active Stars in assists (22) and ranks fourth in points (2-22—24) in 44 career games vs. Nashville. Suter was originally selected by Nashville in the first round (7th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft and went on to record 238 points (38-200–238) in 542 regular-season games with the Preds. – Goaltender Jake Oettinger is 4-1-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in seven career appearances against Nashville. – Netminder Scott Wedgewood is 2-1-0 with a 2.39 GAA and .900 SV% and three career appearances vs. the Preds. – Goalie Matt Murray has yet to appear in a game against Nashville.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
– Dallas became the first team this season to have at least four players with 15 goals: Roope Hintz (17), Tyler Seguin (16), Joe Pavelski (16) and Jason Robertson (15). – The only teams with three are the Avalanche, Oilers, Penguins, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Canucks and Golden Knights. – It marks the first time in Dallas Stars history (1993-present) that they’ve had as many through 40 games played; the only other instances in franchise history are 1982-83 (5), 1989-90 (4), 1985-86 (4), 1983-84 (4), 1981-82 (4) and 1979-80 (4). – Furthermore, the Stars have seven players with 10 goals or more: Mason Marchment (13), Matt Duchene (12) and Wyatt Johnston (10).
