The Nashville Predators are one of 12 teams to win at least 6 games in their last 10 contests. After a 2-1 win in Buffalo Nashville is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games with some stellar play as of late from key pieces in the lineup.
“A little fatigue set in with our first back-to-back, we weren’t as sharp late,” head coach Andrew Brunette said after the win on Sunday. “The will and desire to win was there. We had some great goaltending so it was a big win for our group.”
Forward Filip Forsberg has dominated as of late. He has 12 goals and 20 points dating back to Nov. 1 ranking seventh in the NHL overall. Forsberg notched his 13th goal to get the scoring started in Buffalo to start a short road trip.
Forsberg set a new all-time points record in the month of November for a Predators forward scoring 19 points. Only former forward Mikael Granlund ranks as high as Forberg does.
The Swedish goal-scorer is on a 44-goal and 95-point pace as of Dec. 4. Forsberg had 42 goals and 84 points just two seasons ago.
On the flip side, his linemates have been influential keeping the Predators floating around a .500 record now 12-12-0 this season. Forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist have nine points in their last 10 games.
During Nashville’s latest stretch of hockey, they are one of three teams to pick up 14 points in their last 10 contests and there’s one man in the blue paint that’s helped get that record.
Juuse Saros is 5-1-0 in his last six starts boasting a save percentage of .918 and goals against average of 2.63. Only the Arizona Coyotes netminder Connor Ingram has a better stat line in that time frame with a .939 SV% and 1.96 GAA going 5-2-0.
“I think overall we’ve been good, even some games when we didn’t get the results,” Saros said of bouncing back as of late after a win in Buffalo. “There’s a belief within our team that we can get these games done.”
Saros added that winning a tight game 2-1 on the road showed that the Predators are able to win in various ways this season no matter who the opposition is on any given night.
“He competes on everything, every practice, every shot and I thought he was really sharp tonight. Right from the get-go you could tell he was dialed in,” Brunette said of Saros’ play. “He’s the ultimate team player and he’s the type of kid that he’s going to will himself to play like he did tonight for the team too and I appreciate that as a coach.”
Saros leads the NHL with five wins since Nov. 18 and to his credit has looked every bit like his old self when he’s playing his best hockey.
Defenseman Tyson Barrie did not play in his second straight game on Sunday after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Nashville permitted him to speak to other teams on Saturday morning. Spencer Stastney has filled in for Barrie playing alongside Luke Schenn over the weekend.
Up next the Predators take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. for the first time inside of the United Center this season. Last time out Nashville won 4-2 with a pair of goals from forward Cole Smith as the Predators started a six-game winning streak.
Catch all the action starting at 6:30 p.m. on the pregame show right here as Max Herz hosts the pre- and postgame while Pete Weber will be on the call with Hal Gill.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of Nashville Predators
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