NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators head back out on the road this week for a two-game trip, and the message from the locker room is to keep building on what worked in Saturday’s win. The Predators (3-2-3) visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Nashville enters the trip after a 5-2 win over St. Louis that ended a three-game winless stretch (0-1-2). The Predators scored twice in the first 8:14 of the third period to pull away, and head coach Andrew Brunette wants to see that effort carry over.
"I think build off the third period," Brunette said after Monday's practice. "I thought the positive energy that we showed, the way we shut down a game, I thought was great for us. That's something we're trying to grow into. So, I think just bring that energy that we had and obviously it's easier when we win. But I thought we had really good energy today and it is contagious. Some guys maybe start off slow, but the flow of the practice, everybody was going, it kind of brought everybody else and that's what we're looking to here through this stretch and the next little while of games. Because we've got a lot of games in a short period."
That stretch is busy. After Saturday’s game in Pittsburgh, the Predators return home Sunday to host the Colorado Avalanche, then play the New York Islanders Tuesday, the Washington Capitals Thursday, and the Tampa Bay Lightning the following Saturday.
Defenseman Adam Wilsby said the key is maintaining last week's intensity as the Predators hit the road for their second road trip of the year.
"Keep the desperation," Wilsby said. "I feel like against both San Jose and St. Louis, I feel like we were the more hungry team. So yeah, we've just got to bring that."
The first test is tough. Boston is 7-2-1 after Tuesday’s overtime loss in Dallas. In its first 10 games, the Bruins averaged 3.6 goals per game, the sixth-best in the NHL, and David Pastrnak led the team with 12 points over that stretch. Nashville split two games with Boston last season, losing 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 27 and winning 6-3 on March 5.
Forward Alexander Kerfoot said the Predators know what they are walking into.
"Just one game at a time," Kerfoot said. "We're going into Boston, they're playing as good of hockey as any team in the league right now. They're one of the best teams in the league. It's always a really difficult place to play. They play on home ice really well. Throughout the years, it's felt like no matter who's in the lineup or what their lineup looks like that they're going to play hard, they're going to be competitive. There's no easy ice out there. I think they've got a deep forward group and then obviously some high-end skill guys up front and at the top of their lineup. So, we've got to be aware of them, can't be giving them too many opportunities on the power play, and just know that it's going to be a tight-checking, hard game."
Saturday’s opponent is in a different spot. Pittsburgh is 3-6-1 and on a four-game losing streak as they host the Florida Panthers on Thursday, then face the Predators at PPG Paints Arena. The Predators know better than to take that for granted, and Kerfoot’s one-game-at-a-time approach applies there too.
Puck drop in Boston is set for 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, and Nashville faces the Penguins at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday.
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