And then there was one.
The Nashville Predators can clinch the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins in their final game of the 2023-24 season on Monday.
Either a Predators win or an overtime/shootout loss would see Nashville secure the West’s first Wild Card position and guarantee a first-round matchup against the team with the conference’s second-best record.
To do it, they’ll need to ice a winning performance against a Penguins team desperately trying to claw their way back into a playoff position.
Puck drop at PPG Paints Arena is at 6 p.m. CT, with the game set to broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here’s everything you need to know:
LAST TIME OUT
Roman Josi and Tommy Novak each scored twice as the Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 6-4, in their regular-season home finale on Saturday.
Josi added two assists to record his first four-point performance of the season and the eighth of his career, as well as his 21st multi-point outing of the campaign. No. 59 additionally extended his point streak to four games (3g-5a); he now has 36 points (12g-24a) in his last 27 outings.
Scoring twice in the first period, Novak reached 18 goals on the season, enough to best a career high established in 2022-23, then added an assist to earn his first three-point performance of the season.
Filip Forsberg scored his 47th goal of the season to reach 93 points on the campaign (47g-46a) and 40 (22g-18a) in his last 27 outings.
Cody Glass scored his sixth goal of the season, and the fourth in his last eight games. Luke Evangelista and Gustav Nyquist each recorded two assists.
Nashville went 2-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
Juuse Saros made 31 saves and improved to 35-23-5 on the season and 15-2-3 in his last 20 starts.
The result saw Nashville complete a perfect back-to-back set, sweep their two-game season series against Columbus and conclude their 2023-24 Bridgestone Arena schedule at 23-16-2.
THE GOOD GUYS
Forsberg leads the Predators in points (93) and goals (47); he is tied for 11th and sixth among NHL skaters in each respective category. The forward has recorded 40 points (22g-18a) in his last 27 outings.
Josi leads his team and is tied for fourth among League defensemen in assists (62); Nashville’s Captain additionally leads all NHL blueliners in goals (23) and is third in points (85). Since Feb. 17, Josi leads the League’s defensemen in points (36) and goals (12).
Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon leads the League in hits (374); he needs nine to pass the NHL’s single-season record (382), recorded by Matt Martin in 2014-15.
After 63 appearances this season, Saros has recorded a 2.84 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Since Feb. 17, Saros leads all League netminders in wins (15) and owns a 2.43 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
Nashville holds the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot with 99 points and a 24-13-3 record on the road. Since Nov. 18, the Predators have earned the most road wins (22) and points (47) in the NHL.
THE OTHER GUYS
With 86 points and two games in hand, the Penguins enter Monday’s contest needing a win to keep their playoff dreams alive.
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins in points (90), goals (41) and assists (49); he is 15th, tied for 12th and tied for 33rd among NHL skaters in each respective category.
Pittsburgh’s captain picked up his 1,000th career assist on Thursday, becoming the 14th player and the seventh-fastest (1,269 GP) in NHL history to reach the milestone.
Tristan Jarry is 19-25-5 after 51 appearances, with a 2.91 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and a 0-0-1 record against Nashville this season. Backup netminder Alex Nedeljkovic is 17-6-7 after 36 appearances, with a 2.93 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
Pittsburgh is sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 22-14-4 record at PPG Paints Arena.
ALL-TIME MEETINGS
The Predators are 15-15-(2)-4 all-time against the Penguins, including a 5-9-(2)-1 record on the road. This is the second and final matchup between Nashville and Pittsburgh in 2023-24; it is the first and only at PPG Paints Arena.
Nashville is 1-0-0 against Pittsburgh this season, earning a 3-2 overtime win at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 28. Filip Forsberg scored the game-winning goal in OT. The Predators are 2-2-1 in their last five games against the Penguins; they are 4-4-2 in their last 10; and 1-3-1 in their last five on the road.
Nashville faced Pittsburgh in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, falling in six games, 4-2. It was Nashville’s first-ever trip to the Cup Final.
NOTABLES VS. PITTSBURGH
- Saros recorded his first career NHL win on Oct. 22, 2016 vs. the Penguins. He is 3-3-0 with a .929 save percentage in eight career games against Pittsburgh.
- Evangelista made his NHL debut on Feb. 28, 2023 vs. Pittsburgh.
- Lauzon’s brother, Zachary, was drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round (51st overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
- Nyquist’s 21 points (11g-10a) in 25 career games against the Penguins are the most by a current Predators player.
- Jason Zucker played in parts of four seasons for Pittsburgh from 2020-23, recording 95 points (50g-45a) in 172 games.
- Defense Development Coach Rob Scuderi was an alternate captain on Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2009.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Nyquist is three goals from 200 in his NHL career.
- Zucker is four goals from 200 in his NHL career.
- Luke Schenn is two points from 200 in his NHL career.
- Tyson Barrie is four assists from 400 in his NHL career.
WATCH & LISTEN
Coverage for Monday’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side.
Pete Weber and Hal Gill will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network, with pregame, postgame and intermission coverage by Max Herz beginning one hour before puck drop. The game will also be broadcast in Spanish on El Jefe which airs on 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM and 810 AM. (El partido también se transmite en español por El Jefe en 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM y 810 AM.)
