PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Nashville Predators get a quick chance to wash away one of their worst nights of the season when they face the Penguins on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena.
Two nights earlier in Boston, the Bruins scored twice in each period on the way to a 6-0 win, and goaltender Michael DiPietro turned aside all 28 Nashville shots. Head coach Andrew Brunette called it the team’s poorest effort of the year by a wide margin, faulting repeated turnovers and lost puck battles in the opening period. Captain Roman Josi said afterward that the group needed to show a reaction in Pittsburgh.
The Boston game also brought some lineup changes. Forward Mavrik Bourque was back after missing four games with an injury, goalie Justus Annunen made his season debut after a stint on injured reserve, and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin played his first game for Nashville since being acquired over the summer.
Recent history in this matchup favors Pittsburgh. The Penguins have earned at least a point in nine straight games against Nashville, going 7-0-2 since April 2022, which is their longest active point streak against any NHL club. They have also beaten the Predators six straight times at home, dating to December 2019, and have not dropped a season series to Nashville since 2003-04.
Pittsburgh is one of only two teams yet to give up a power-play goal in its own building this season. Defenseman Erik Karlsson leads the team with 11 points, and Sidney Crosby is one assist from tying Ray Bourque for the most assists with a single franchise. Former Predators forward Tommy Novak, who had 117 points in 201 games with Nashville, now plays for Pittsburgh.
Saturday closes a two-game road trip. The Predators return home Sunday night to host Colorado, the start of a five-game homestand, their longest of the season.
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