TAMPA BAY vs NASHVILLE
When: 2/8/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NASHVILLE , TAMPA BAY

Oddsmakers currently have the TAMPA BAY listed as -150-moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

As the Tampa Bay Lightning departed for Tennessee on Sunday, their thoughts were back home in what may become the next “City of Champions.”

The Lightning face the Nashville Predators for the first time on the road and third time overall Monday, starting a back-to-back series between the Central Division opponents.

With the Bolts as the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Rays claiming last season’s American League pennant and the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning the NFC for the second time, the team’s mind was on Super Bowl LV– also in Tampa.

Watching the big game hoped to provide some relaxation before renewing their physical battle with the Predators, who lost twice last week in Tampa — one being a fight-filled bout last weekend.

“Any time a team can go on a run — whether it’s the Lightning, Rays or Bucs — you were definitely following,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It seems here in the community we’re all in this together.

“I feel sick for the fans that they haven’t been able to watch in person the three teams rise to the top, but there’s a sense of pride being from Tampa.”

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has seen it before.

“I got a taste of it in my rookie year when the Rays went to the World Series (in 2008) and the Super Bowl was hosted by Tampa, so it’s come full cycle now and been cool to be a part of,” said Stamkos, who turned 31 on Sunday.

Through seven wins in nine games, the Lightning appear to be primed to add to the city’s burgeoning resume of success, and they showed they can go about it in different ways when they faced the Predators — winning 4-3 and 5-2 in tilts that featured stretches of dominant play by the home side.

The Lightning played fast but also big, strong and edgy — characteristics they added to their team last season by acquiring forwards Pat Maroon, Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman.

Nashville showed plenty of fight in its subsequent series in South Florida when they split back-to-back games with the Florida Panthers.

The resilient Predators kept grinding again in Thursday night’s 6-5 win when they scored twice down two goals in the in final three minutes of regulation to force overtime. Filip Forsberg, who produced five points, won it in overtime with a minute left.

But the dramatic win came at a price.

Mired in a goalless slump, top-line center Ryan Johansen was lost with an upper-body injury Thursday. That forced Matt Duchene’s line of Mikael Granlund and Forsberg to the top in Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Panthers when the Predators were clearly outplayed.

Florida outshot the visitors 20-5 in the first period and 36-25 overall. The Panthers also meted out 40 hits to Nashville’s 25, plus won the faceoffs 37-25 after losing the battle in the dot by almost the same margin Thursday.

“(The problem) is inconsistency through our game,” Nashville coach John Hynes said. “If you’re going to win consistently and string wins together and get yourself into a situation where you’re going to be a competitive team, the inconsistencies need to stop.”

On Saturday, the club sent forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Mathieu Olivier to the taxi squad.

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NASHVILLE vs TAMPA BAY
When: 1/30/2021 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: TAMPA BAY , NASHVILLE

Oddsmakers currently have the NASHVILLE listed as 155-moneyline favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning are discovering that playing more than 60 minutes is a way of life in the NHL’s Central Division.

For the first time this season, the two division opponents will meet Saturday night on Florida’s west coast, and they know there’s a good likelihood overtime or the shootout may have to decide the winner.

Over a stretch of six straight games in the division from Tuesday through Thursday, every contest was either settled in overtime or a shootout — all three-point contests. The streak was snapped Thursday in the division’s final game of the night when the Stars beat Detroit 7-3 in Dallas.

The Predators hosted Chicago in back-to-back tilts Tuesday and Wednesday, and the results — both requiring extra time — were good for Nashville over their former Western Conference foe.

In Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime victory, captain Roman Josi tallied to put away the Blackhawks, helping Nashville cast aside the bad memories from a tough two-game stint in Texas.

Dallas blasted the Predators 7-0 in its first hockey game this season last Friday after a delayed start due to COVID-19 protocol. The score was more competitive two days later — a 3-2 loss in regulation to the Stars — but the damage had been done.

Nashville returned home with little to show for the effort and struggling with a penalty-kill unit that allowed five power-play goals in the blowout loss and three more in the one-goal defeat.

In the two games, the Stars tied an NHL record for most power-play goals over a two-game span, succeeding on 8 of 12 chances.

“That’s not who we are as a team, and that was unacceptable,” said Nick Cousins, who scored his first goal in a Nashville uniform in Wednesday’s 2-1 shootout win. “Coming back home was kind of a chance to reset and play Chicago back-to-back.”

Matt Duchene registered the only tally in the shootout, and goalie Juuse Saros was rock solid in denying Chicago’s shooters anything in the one-on-one session that gave Nashville its second straight victory and some momentum heading to Florida.

The Predators will also play Monday in Tampa before traveling south to face the Florida Panthers in back-to-back matches on Thursday and Friday.

After an unexpected four-day break due to Carolina’s COVID-19 concerns, Tampa Bay returned to play Thursday and lost 1-0 to the Hurricanes on Martin Necas’ marker 1:12 into overtime.

Petr Mrazek’s 32-save shutout — the Hurricanes’ first game action in 10 days — marked the first time Tampa Bay had been held scoreless in 88 consecutive regular-season contests.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said the way the Central is set up will create plenty of close competition, perhaps needing extra time to determine a winner on most nights.

“We were talking about that last night — all these three-point games,” said Cooper. “There’s a lot of defense in our division. It’s going to be tough to score (against) all these teams.

“I think you’re going to see a lot more games go to overtime than probably in a lot of these other divisions.”

Starting his 31st straight game dating back to the 2019-20 regular season, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded 35 saves, but it wasn’t enough to keep him from losing to Carolina for the first time in eight career games (7-0-1).

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OTTAWA SENATORS vs NASHVILLE PREDATORS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NASHVILLE , OTTAWA

Oddsmakers currently have the OTTAWA listed as -111 moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

The Nashville Predators hope the sweet sounds of Music City will alter their recent fortunes when they open a three-game homestand Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. The Predators were left with a bitter taste in their mouth after surrendering 10 goals en route to dropping both ends of a Western Canadian road trip, but the team has won eight of its last 10 at Bridgestone Arena.

“This team is good at staying within the day. We’ve done a great job of not looking in the rear-view mirror,” Nashville forward Craig Smith said of seeing his team’s winless stretch on the road extend to six games (0-5-1) with Saturday’s 5-2 setback in Calgary. The 29-year-old scored against the Flames to boost his December point total to four (two goals, two assists) in four games after mustering five (two goals, three assists) in November. While Nashville has lost four of six overall, Ottawa has scored only seven goals during its last four contests (1-2-1) heading into the opener of a three-game road trip. Life away from Canada’s capital hasn’t been a bowl of cherries for the Senators, who are 3-9-1 on the road this season.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE SENATORS (13-14-4): Mark Stone boosted his team-leading goal (15) and point (35) totals after converting a one-timer from Colin White in the first period on Sunday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Boston. The 26-year-old has scored four goals and set up three others during his five-game point streak, while White has three points in his last three contests. Craig Anderson, who received a rare night off versus the Bruins, is expected back in net Tuesday and bids to improve upon a 5-9-4 mark with a 3.25 goals-against average in 21 career encounters with the Predators.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (19-10-1): Captain Roman Josi has set up a goal in three straight games and has 10 assists in his last 12 as attempts to help Nashville locate some much-desired offense in lieu of injuries to Filip Forsberg (team-leading 14 goals), Viktor Arvidsson, Kyle Turris and fellow defenseman P.K. Subban. Colton Sissons has stepped up with goals in back-to-back contests while Ryan Johansen has four points (one goal, three assists) in his last four games. Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Pekka Rinne has fared significantly better at home, posting a 9-3-0 mark with two shutouts and a 1.84 goals-against average.

OVERTIME

1. Ottawa LW Ryan Dzingel set up a pair of goals in a 4-3 overtime victory over Nashville on Feb. 8.

2. The Predators are 8-0-0 against Eastern Conference representatives while the Senators are 3-5-2 versus the West.

3. Ottawa D Thomas Chabot has recorded only nine of his club-best 25 assists on the road.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Senators 1

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NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs ARIZONA COYOTES
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Thursday, November 15, 2018
Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 9:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: ARIZONA , NASHVILLE

Oddsmakers currently have the NASHVILLE listed as -135-moneyline favorites versus the ARIZONA, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The Nashville Predators have dropped two in a row for the first time this season while seeing their perfect record away from home go by the boards, but they will attempt to salvage a winning road trip with a visit to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Nashville is 2-1-1 on its five-game trek after starting the season with eight straight wins on the road.

The Predators had their unblemished record away from home punctured in a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday, losing in a shootout at Anaheim (2-1) before dropping a 5-4 decision in San Jose after erasing an early three-goal deficit. “The first period is not acceptable for a team of our caliber against a middle-of-the-pack team,” Nashville forward Rocco Grimaldi said after Tuesday’s setback. “No matter what happens we believe we can come back.” The Coyotes were ascending up the Pacific Division standings on the heels of a five-game winning streak, but they have dropped four of their last five. “I don’t know if it’s the end of the trip and guys want to go home. I don’t know,” coach Rick Tocchet said after Arizona wrapped up a four-game trek with a 6-1 loss in Detroit. “But it’s inconsistent hockey the last two weeks and it’s something we’re going to have stamp out really quick.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (13-4-1): Nashville will add some depth to its lineup with the return of forward Austin Watson, who was reinstated to the active roster after serving an 18-game suspension stemming for a domestic assault incident involving his girlfriend. Watson released a statement thanking the organization for its support while offering an apology for his actions. “He’ll be a physical force (that) I don’t want to say we’ve been missing, but he’s an upgrade on what we currently have,” said general manager David Poile said of Watson, who scored 14 goals last season.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (8-8-1): Hours after agreeing to a six-year contract extension worth a reported $27.6 million, defenseman Jakob Chychrun made his season debut for Arizona in the loss Detroit. Sidelined while recovering from offseason knee surgery, Chychrun registered three shots on goal and blocked a shot in 20:39 of ice time. “There were a couple of things I noticed here and there where I wasn’t necessarily myself,” Chychrun said. “I wasn’t expecting to pick up where I left off last year, but I’ll take little things, day by day, and hopefully I can get there soon.”

OVERTIME

1. Predators G Pekka Rinne, who has allowed three goals in his last four starts, is 18-7-2 with a 2.02 goals-against average versus Arizona.

2. Coyotes F Richard Panik has scored four goals in his last seven games but was a minus-4 in Detroit.

3. Predators F Filip Forsberg scored twice at San Jose to give him 10 on the season, but he has three goals in 10 games versus the Coyotes.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Coyotes 2

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NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs ANAHEIM DUCKS
When: 10:00 PM  ET, Monday, November 12, 2018
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California

TV: 10:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: ANAHEIM , NASHVILLE

Oddsmakers currently have the NASHVILLE listed as -160-moneyline favorites versus the ANAHEIM, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The Nashville Predators have soared to the top of the league standings with practically no offensive contribution from their leading goal scorer lately. Filip Forsberg looks to end his drought when the Predators visit the Anaheim Ducks on Monday in search of their sixth consecutive victory.

Nashville improved to 2-0-0 on its five-game road trip and 8-0-0 overall away from home with Saturday’s 5-4 overtime triumph in Dallas as Forsberg helped set up the game-tying goal by Roman Josi with 43 seconds remaining in the third period before fellow defenseman Mattias Ekholm scored 2:27 into the extra session. That was the only point recorded during the Predators’ winning streak by the 24-year-old Forsberg, who hasn’t tallied since since registering a hat trick on Oct. 27 versus Edmonton. Anaheim’s offense continues to sputter as it was limited to fewer than three goals for the eighth time in 11 games in Friday’s 5-1 home loss to Minnesota. Pontus Aberg netted the lone tally in the setback to pull even with Jakob Silfverberg for the team lead with five as the Ducks fell to 1-1-0 on their three-game homestand.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS West (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (13-3-0): Nashville was without one player on Saturday but welcomed back another as Calle Jarnkrok sat out with a lower-body injury while fellow forward Viktor Arvidsson (lower body) returned to the lineup after missing three games. The 25-year-old Arvidsson, who is second on the team with eight goals, notched an assist against the Stars but exited the contest late in the third period after crashing into the boards. Josi is riding a five-game point streak during which he has collected three goals and four assists after notching one of each on Saturday.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (7-8-3): Nick Ritchie was back on the ice for Anaheim on Friday after missing six games with an upper-body injury and registered one shot, five hits and a minus-2 rating in just over 15 minutes of action. The 22-year-old left wing has notched one assist in three contests this season after collecting 27 points (10 goals) in 76 games last campaign. Rickard Rakell, who leads the team with 12 points, has gone four contests without a goal and remains one shy of 100 for his career.

OVERTIME

1. Despite their overall success, the Predators are 30th in the league on the power play at 13.6 percent.

2. Anaheim rookie LW Max Comtois (lower body), who hasn’t played since Oct. 23, was assigned to San Diego of the American Hockey League for conditioning.

3. Nashville’s eight-game road winning streak to begin a season is the third-longest in NHL history behind a 10-game run by the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres and a nine-game stretch by the 2009-10 New Jersey Devils.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Ducks 1

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BOSTON vs NASHVILLE
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Monday, December 4, 2017
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA, NESN (Boston), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: Predators 4, Bruins 2

Oddsmakers currently have the BOSTON listed as 110-moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, the team’s annual fathers’ trip comes with an extra bonus.

“We got a day in Nashville tomorrow,” he said Saturday after a 28-save, 3-0 shutout in Philadelphia. “It’s a great time to hang out and enjoy Nashville. My dad likes country music, so he isn’t going to know what is going to hit him.”

Rask will get to enjoy Music City on Monday as well, receiving the night off in favor of backup Anton Khudobin when Boston takes on the Nashville Predators in Bridgestone Arena.

The Bruins (12-8-4) come into town playing arguably their best hockey of the season, winning six of their past seven. They weren’t pressed hard by Philadelphia, which dropped its 10th game in a row.

Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak each scored a goal and added an assist while Ryan Spooner also tallied his first goal in 22 games.

“We might have played one game all year with our full lineup, which is a big difference when you are missing guys,” Marchand said. “With everyone back and young guys hitting their stride, we are a pretty deep team. We can compete every night, and we want to keep going the way we have been.”

So does Nashville (16-7-3), which started December with the same result it got most of November — a win. Two power-play goals plus 33 saves from Pekka Rinne got the Predators to a shootout, where Kevin Fiala and Kyle Turris scored to salt away a 3-2 decision over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. It was the Predators’ 11th win in 14 games.

No man advantage in the league is as potent these days as Nashville’s, particularly at home. The Predators have scored at least one power-play goal in all 13 home games, and they are converting at a 39.6 percent clip in front of their fans.

Even guys such as Calle Jarnkrok, who rarely get man-advantage time, are joining in on the fun. Playing on the power play with top-line center Ryan Johansen unavailable for the game’s last 30-plus minutes, Jarnkrok scored on a rebound to tie the score at 11:17 of the third period.

“He’s just smart. He’s talented and can jump in that situation,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said of Jarnkrok. “He has been there before in the past, and he’s done a good job. To jump in like that and not miss a beat is pretty good.”

Johansen’s status for Monday night is unknown, since the team doesn’t provide in-game injury updates. Laviolette only said after the Saturday night game that the team would know more on Monday. Regardless of whether Johansen plays or not, it is unlikely Laviolette will break up the second line with Turris centering Fiala and Craig Smith.

Rinne (15-4-2, 2.35 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) probably will make his 12th start in 13 games for Nashville. He is hoping for a different result than he got when the Predators saw Boston in each team’s season opener on Oct. 5, a 4-3 defeat.

Khudobin (7-0-2, 2.22, .932) hasn’t played since Nov. 24, when he notched a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins with 17 saves. He has won four straight starts, with save percentages of .952, .973 and .964 in his past three assignments.

STATS AND RECORDS

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VANCOUVER vs NASHVILLE
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Thursday, November 30, 2017
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FSN Tennessee
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: Predators 3, Canucks 2

Oddsmakers currently have the VANCOUVER listed as 170-moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — If the Nashville Predators wish November had another 30 days, it is understandable.

After a mediocre October left some questioning if last spring’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals screamed fluke, Nashville enters a Thursday night home game against the Vancouver Canucks 10-2-1 in November, tying a franchise record for most points in the month.

OVERTIME

1. Predators F Filip Forsberg is the only player in the NHL to score in every home game, collecting eight goals and nine assists.

2. Canucks LW Daniel Sedin has been held off the scoresheet the past two games to remain two points shy of 1,000.

3. Predators G Pekka Rinne has won five straight starts but is 11-9-2 overall against Vancouver.

The Predators have gone from being a .500 team to one that is 15-6-3 with points in 11 of the past 12 games. They are winning games in all sorts of ways, prevailing in shootouts, blowouts and defensive-minded contests.

Nashville’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday was a little bit of everything. The teams combined for 70 shots in a typically fast-paced contest, but the Predators prevailed behind Pekka Rinne’s 37 saves and their 18th power-play goal — Roman Josi’s slapper at 2:32 of the third period — in 11 home games.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (15-6-3): Forward Austin Watson converted on the power play for only his third goal of the season and 12th of his career, but it was his play at the other end of the ice against Chicago that drew raves. Watson blocked three shots in the final seconds of Tuesday’s win to add to his game-high five hits. “It was unreal. We were celebrating on the bench like somebody just scored a hat trick,” Josi said. “It was unbelievable. That’s what makes him so valuable. He’s a true warrior.”

“I think we have a lot of confidence in our team right now,” Josi said. “I think we have a lot of depth. It’s been a really good month for sure, and we’d better keep it up. There’s still a lot of things we can do better, and we need to work on those things, too.”

No team in the league has taken more penalties than the Predators, but they reined themselves in for the most part against the Blackhawks, committing only three minors. And although they have allowed 11 third-period markers in their past seven games, they were able to find a better balance Tuesday night between all-out attacking and all-out turtling.

Of course, having Rinne as an eraser on the back end helps. Rinne’s age-35 season is starting as one of the best of his career, as he enters Thursday night with a 14-3-2 record, a 2.29 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.

“I think the coaching staff does a great job of keeping us accountable,” Rinne said. “Every day, we work and go through our five-on-five game. There is always room for improvement. If we want to be one of the best teams, we have to do it consistently. There are no days off.”

Nashville’s variety of skills will be a tough test for a Vancouver team that is staggering to the end of a six-game road trip. After opening with wins in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh last week, the Canucks have dropped three straight, including a 5-2 verdict Tuesday night to the New York Islanders.

Vancouver (11-10-4) put itself in a hole by allowing three goals in the first period against the Islanders. It was the seventh loss in 10 games (3-5-2) for the Canucks, who got off to a surprisingly good start under first-year coach Travis Green before the current skid.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (11-10-4): Bo Horvat scored for the fourth time in eight games to push his season total to 10 — halfway to his career-high 20 set in 2016-17 — but he’s unhappy with Vancouver’s regression on the road trip. The Canucks posted a pair of 5-2 wins at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before losing three straight. “We’ve got to get back to frustrating teams rather than turning it into a track meet where you’re trading chances,” Horvat said after Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the Islanders. “We need 20 guys.”

“We’ve got to go back to how we were playing earlier, frustrating teams and not turning it into a track meet where you’re trading chances,” Vancouver center Bo Horvat said. “We need 20 guys, we need everybody contributing.”

Vancouver might go back to Jacob Markstrom (6-8-3, 2.63, .909) in goal after Anders Nilsson (5-2-1, 2.63, .924) coughed up five goals on 36 shots Tuesday night. Nilsson had played well in seven previous starts.

This is the teams’ first meeting this season, and the Canucks’ only trip to Bridgestone Arena. The Predators play in Vancouver on Dec. 13 and March 2.

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DALLAS vs NASHVILLE
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Thursday, October 12, 2017
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: Stars 4, Predators 3

Oddsmakers currently have the DALLAS listed as 105-moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

Scott Hartnell has played for 17 seasons in the NHL. Tuesday night was his 1,190th game, and it was one of the wildest he’s ever been involved in as the Nashville Predators blew a 3-0 lead, then scored twice in the last 77 seconds to dump the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5.

“It was exciting to see the fans get what they paid for,” Hartnell said. “It was a great start to the game. Up 3-0, the game should be shut down at that point. Some sloppy play led to them taking over the game. You’re not going to come back like that against a lot of teams in this league.”

Which means that consistency is what the 35-year old Hartnell and the Predators are looking for Thursday night when they host the Dallas Stars in Bridgestone Arena.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville won three of five meetings last season while Dallas was victorious in four of five in 2015-16.

2. Bishop is 1-3-1 with a 3.56 goals-against average against the Predators.

3. Forsberg had two goals and two assists in the five games last season versus Dallas.

Like Nashville, Dallas is 1-2-0. Also like the Predators, the Stars picked up their first win at home on Tuesday night, knocking off Detroit 4-2. Unlike Nashville, Dallas has played at a level pleasing to new coach Ken Hitchcock.

The veteran bench boss, who tied the late Al Arbour for third place in NHL history Tuesday night with his 782nd career win, liked that his team married result to process.

“I thought this was the best balance we’ve had,” Hitchcock said. “This looked like something you could really build on. We look like we could deal people some body blows, and that’s the way we’re built. I think the players are starting to understand that.”

A trendy pick to win the Central after a terrific offseason in which it landed goalie Ben Bishop and center Alex Radulov, Dallas started with 2-1 and 4-2 losses to Vegas and St. Louis in which it did things well enough to win, but just couldn’t find the back of the net often enough.

The hiring of Hitchcock, fired in early February by St. Louis in what was supposed to be his final season with the Blues, appears to have brought a more defensive approach to the Stars. They have for several years been explosive offensively but deficient on the back end.

That description could also fit the Predators’ performance in their home opener. They scored the first three goals and the last three goals, storming the Philadelphia zone during late power plays for the tying and winning markers, but also permitted five goals in a span of less than 17 minutes bridging the second and third periods.

“I think from after the 12-minute mark until after the 40-minute mark, we weren’t very good,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. “There’s certainly positives to take from the game tonight, and then there’s things we will continue to work on.”

The Predators have allowed 13 goals in their first three games, something they will have to cut down on in order to position themselves for a division title and a long playoff run. But Hartnell, in his second stint with the team, and Filip Forsberg each scored two goals against the Flyers.

Nashville is hoping captain Roman Josi and center Colton Sissons (lower-body injuries) can return to the lineup. Both sat out Tuesday night.

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Boston Bruins vs Nashville Predators
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 12, 2017
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TVAS, Sportsnet Ontario, NESN (Boston), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Predators 2

Oddsmakers currently have the BOSTON listed as -120-moneyline favorites versus the NASHVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

The Nashville Predators ended a frustrating first half of the season with an emphatic bang, one they hope will serve as a springboard to improvement.

The second half begins Thursday night when the Boston Bruins arrive at Bridgestone Arena for the teams’ first meeting of the year. Boston is eager to cap an already successful road trip on a high note.

The Bruins (22-17-5) are coming off a 5-3 win Tuesday night in St. Louis that improved their record to 2-0-1 on a four-game journey. Boston led 4-0 just 1:31 into the second period, the Bruins wound up outshooting the Blues 39-17 as Brad Marchand tallied twice.

Meanwhile, Nashville (18-16-7) won in the most dramatic fashion imaginable Tuesday night. Calle Jarnkrok scored the first overtime short-handed goal in franchise history at 4:58, delivering a stunning 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

“We found a way to win in OT,” said Predators coach Peter Laviolette, whose team was 1-7 prior to Tuesday night in games decided past regulation. “Hopefully, we can learn something from this. OT is weird. They get a penalty and go on the power play but we scored the game-winner.”

The result was just Nashville’s third win in its past 11 home games, a big reason why the team is just 7-8-4 since Dec. 3 and currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

However, the Predators continue to battle injuries in addition to inconsistency. They skated without All-Stars P.K. Subban (upper body) and James Neal (upper body) on Tuesday night, as well as Colin Wilson (lower body). Viktor Arvidsson returned Tuesday from a two-game absence caused by an upper-body injury, but he was not part of practice on Wednesday, raising concerns about his availability for the Boston game.

With so many injuries to deal with, Nashville is plugging third- and fourth-liners into bigger roles. One taking advantage of additional ice time is the bruising Austin Watson, who has scored goals in consecutive games while supplying good defense and a physical presence.

“He’s been playing fast, playing physical for us,” Laviolette said of Watson. “He’s been chipping in on offense. He’s been going to the hard areas in the paint where you score goals.”

Watson’s marker against Vancouver was a classic example. He worked his way to the net’s front and was in prime position to collect the rebound of Mike Fisher’s errant point shot for a goal 35 seconds into the second period.

If the Predators are to win their final home game before a five-game trip, they probably will need more than two goals against Boston. Led by Marchand’s 15 goals and 23 assists, and David Pastrnak’s 19 goals, the Bruins can explode in any game despite averaging just under 2.5 goals per game.

“I think the guys are really buying into trying to play hard here,” Boston coach Claude Julien said. “There’s a lot of pride in our dressing room, and we just got to keep showing it.”

Julien’s biggest concern going into this one is injuries to his defense corps. Adam McQuaid (upper body) and Colin Miller (lower body) were knocked out in the third period at St. Louis, leaving the Bruins with just four defensemen. McQuaid could play Thursday night, but Miller is doubtful.

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Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars
When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 8, 2016
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
PREDICTION: Stars 4, Predators 2

DALLAS — The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars meet at American Airlines Center on Thursday, and these Central Division rivals square off under different circumstances.

Nashville (12-9-4) defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, making the Predators 9-4-1 over their past 14 games.

“I thought we did a real good job in the third period,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said after the win. “I thought we did a good job, played a smart game, a strong game.”

The Predators, who are 3-7-2 on the road, also got a lift from the return of former Stars forward James Neal, who scored a goal in his return to the lineup after missing the previous four games with an upper-body injury.

“It’s obviously a good feeling when you get back to playing with your teammates,” Neal said. “It makes it a little easier when you’re on home ice. It feels good to be back and good to win.”

Dallas (10-11-6), on the other hand, heads into the divisional tilt off a loss, 2-1 to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

After taking a 1-0 lead to the first intermission thanks to Curtis McKenzie scoring in a second consecutive game for the first time in his short career, the Stars were listless for most of the final 40 minutes. Coach Lindy Ruff put his players through the paces Wednesday morning during a hard practice that lasted just under one hour.

“I only care about the work,” Ruff said after practice Wednesday. “You can be frustrated, but don’t quit working. I thought there was times in the game (on Tuesday) where we were a little frustrated and we didn’t work. (Wednesday) was all about working, just keep working. Work when you’re tired.”

Against the Flames, Dallas lost rookie defenseman Julius Honka, its top pick in the 2014 draft, to an upper-body injury late in the second period. Honka did not practice Wednesday and was ruled out for the Thursday game, but he could return later this week.

Ruff called Honka’s absence “short term” and said Honka shouldn’t miss more than a few games.

Ruff also gave updates on injured forward Jiri Hudler (illness), out the past 18 games, and defenseman Johnny Oduya (lower body), sidelined the past eight games, but neither veteran will play against Nashville.

“Obviously, Jiri (Hudler) is getting closer,” Ruff said. “I fully anticipate that (Oduya) would be ready by the weekend, but I think (Thursday) is a stretch.”

Ruff said he plans on inserting rookie center Jason Dickinson, who was recalled from AHL Texas on Tuesday, into the lineup against Nashville.

Dickinson will make his season debut and will appear in his second NHL game after scoring a goal in his NHL debut, a 4-2 win in Dallas against Colorado on April 7, 2016.

“He’s a big man that skates well,” Ruff said of Dickinson. “With some of the players we have out, some of the speed part of our game is missing. He’s a guy that I think we can put in and he can add to the speed of our lineup.”

Nashville and Dallas, which is 6-4-2 at home, already twice this season. Dallas prevailed 2-1 at home on Oct. 18, while Nashville won 5-2 in the Music City on Nov. 23.

Gritty Stars forward Antoine Roussel is focused on how he and his teammates will perform once they hit the ice to conclude a two-game homestand.

“I expect a big win for us,” Roussel said. “I don’t really care about how (the Predators) are going to play, I just expect we’re going to come out the gate really strong and play 60 minutes.”

And should the Stars deliver a full, consistent effort, it would a welcome change for their coach.

“We’re not playing a 60-minute game, and we haven’t for this first part of the season,” Ruff said. “It’s been 40 out of 60, 20 of out 60. The disappointing part is we put together probably our best 60-minute effort (Saturday at Colorado). We followed it up with a real solid 20 minutes (on Tuesday) and probably played our worst 20 minutes in the second period.”

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