Deadspin | Hoping to avoid franchise history, Predators visit Stars

[ad_1] Dec 10, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators heart Jonathan Marchessault (81) skates with the puck towards the Calgary Flames through the third interval at Bridgestone Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Steve Roberts-Imagn Pictures If the Nashville Predators are to keep away from setting the franchise file for many consecutive losses, they must do it with out their undisputed chief.

On a 0-5-1 highway skid, the Predators shall be with out captain Roman Josi on Thursday towards the host Dallas Stars.

The Stars are in search of their fifth straight residence win whereas sending the Predators to their ninth consecutive defeat on Thursday night time.

Nashville's swoon has dropped it right into a tie with Chicago with an NHL-low 20 factors. The Predators, who additionally boast a league-worst seven wins, have totaled simply 14 objectives through the 0-5-3 slide. Their final win got here towards visiting Winnipeg on Nov. 23.

"It is a powerful league," stated ahead Jonathan Marchessault, who elevated his season objective complete to seven with two in Tuesday's 4-3 residence loss to Calgary.

"One thing I spotted with time is it by no means will get simpler. So, you have to embrace the grind and embrace the adversity that you just face as a person, and as a group additionally.

"And, I feel that is how one can come out on prime and are available out (higher)."

Doing so probably will not be straightforward for the Predators with out Josi, who sustained a lower-body harm within the first interval of Tuesday's sport. He was dominated out for Thursday's sport and is listed as day-to-day.

Nashville has been with out Ryan O'Reilly, however the star ahead will return after lacking three video games with a lower-body harm. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon can even return after sitting out seven video games with a lower-body harm. Ahead Gustav Nyquist is day-to-day after sitting out Tuesday attributable to sickness.

"Clearly, you by no means substitute Roman Josi," Nashville coach Andrew Brunette stated. "However, I feel it offers us ... organizationally, an opportunity to see these guys with extra minutes and what they've."

The Predators head to Dallas, the place the Stars are 11-2-0 and have outscored their opponents 19-8 throughout a four-game residence successful streak. Defenseman Thomas Harley scored two of Dallas' 4 objectives within the third interval, and Jason Robertson completed the sport with a objective with an help throughout Sunday's 6-2 victory over Calgary to open a six-game residence stretch.

"Each sport is essential," stated Harley, who doubled his objective depend. "Trying ahead to get again to it."

Dallas broke out Sunday after being held to 2 objectives in every of its earlier three contests.

"It begins with doing the appropriate issues, and we capitalize on the alternatives," stated Stars ahead Sam Metal, who registered his third objective of the season on Sunday.

Robertson, who posted 41 objectives in 2021-22 and 46 in 2022-23, fell to 29 final season and has simply six this season. Nonetheless, he has 10 objectives in 21 video games towards Nashville, and the final one got here throughout Dallas' 4-3 highway win within the season opener on Oct. 10.

The Stars' Jake Oettinger made 33 saves in that contest. He is additionally 10-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against common and .929 save proportion at residence this season. Backup Casey DeSmith has a 2.05 GAA whereas splitting his two residence begins in 2024-25.