Both teams have given Nashville a run for their money and, as the season winds down, those three games will be ferocious battles. There’s Vegas, too, who hit the jackpot with the acquisition of Jack Eichel last November, and he looks like he never lost a step following successful neck surgery. Calgary plays a playoff-style game, making these encounters not only must-win but must-watch as well.
The Negatives: The Flames have turned up the heat, so the next two games against them in April pose the biggest threat to a Predators team that struggles against physically-imposing teams. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
It’s impressive that they’ve taken two of three against the Avalanche, the top team in the conference, and remain undefeated against the Flames, Kings, and Wild, a trend head coach John Hynes hopes to continue in the next two months. The Positives:The Predators don’t have a losing record against any of the seven teams listed above and, for the most part, have kept things close. Vegas Golden Knights: 1-1-0 (5 goals for, 7 goals against) 1 game remaining Los Angeles Kings: 2-0-0 (6 goals for, 3 goals against) 1 game remaining Calgary Flames: 1-0-0 (3 goals for, 2 goals against) 2 games remaining Dallas Stars: 2-1-0 (8 goals for, 7 goals against) 1 game remaining Minnesota Wild: 1-0-0 (5 goals for, 2 goals against) 3 games remaining Louis Blues: 1-1-0 (7 goals for, 8 goals against) 2 games remaining Colorado Avalanche: 2-1-0 (12 goals for, 12 goals against) 1 game remaining The following list shows games against both Central and Pacific Division teams with the season record, goal differential, and how many games remain between now and the season’s conclusion. Nashville has 11 games remaining against Western Conference teams currently in a playoff spot, be it top-three or one of the two wild-card positions. Predators’ Record Against Playoff-Hopeful Teams
Here’s a look at how they’ve fared against some of the top teams in the league, as well as those who won’t be playing for the Stanley Cup this year. Those eight games will be pivotal in the Predators’ hunt for a playoff spot. On the other hand, they’ll take on the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers twice each while playing the Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Sabres, and Sharks one more time this season. Every point will matter, and both the Predators and their division rivals will look to avoid losing any three-point games, making each matchup as intense as a playoff game. Nine games come against Central Division opponents, seven of which are against the four teams ahead of them in the standings. To finish the season, Nashville will face the Colorado Avalanche once and the Calgary Flames twice while taking on Eastern Conference powerhouses, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. In their updated standings, only the Oilers have a tougher schedule in the Western Conference, while the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals have the toughest schedule ahead. Predators’ Face 6th-Toughest Schedule in the NHLĪccording to, a website that determines which games are against quality opponents compared to teams lower in the standings, the Predators have the sixth-toughest schedule in the league. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as an easy game in the NHL. With 27 games remaining, the road ahead will be tough, especially when you factor in the quality of competition. If the performance against the Sharks was any indication of what’s to come, the battle for playoff positioning will be one of the more exciting storylines this season, and even then, it may not be enough. Related: Kings Under Unexpected Pressure at 2022 Trade Deadline As the schedule reaches its final quarter, the Predators’ next few weeks will be a daunting task to make the playoffs. On a positive note, only one point separates them from third place in the Central Division, now occupied by the Minnesota Wild. They are now in the second wild-card position, but only two points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers and three ahead of the Anaheim Ducks. Consecutive wins will be critical to the team, as they find themselves in a tight race for one of the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference. If the Nashville Predators are going to make the playoffs this year, they’re going to need more victories like their 8-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on March 5.
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