IN: Niclas Bergfors, Brodie Dupont, Jack Hillen, Robert Slaney, Tyler Sloan, The Great Zack Stortini
OUT: J.P. Dumont, Cody Franson, Marcel “Oh my” Goc, Aaron Johnson, Matthew Lombardi, D Shane O’Brien, Steve Sullivan, Joel “Playoff Kaching” Ward, Brett Lebda
INJURED: Kostitsyn, Klein, Spaling
Predators lineup:
Wilson-David Legwand-Patric Hornqvist
Smith-Mike Fisher-Martin Erat
Halischuk-Smithson-Tootoo
Bergfors-Geoffrion-McGrattan
Bouillon-Shea Weber
Suter-Blum
Laakso-Hillen
In net: Anders Lindback will square off with Bernier in the Battle of the Backups.
Game Outlook: The common refrain is that both clubs are excellent defensively but challenged on offense. Predators are 13th in the league in goals per game this season — which is to say they’re currently blowing the Kings out of the water. 2.69 average? Woo, I’ve got the vapors.
Today Rich Hammond made a list of team scoring by defensemen. The Kings were near the bottom of it. You know what other list they’re near the bottom of? OVERALL GOALS.
The Kings are 27th out of 30 overall. The forwards are somewhat involved in this, is what I’m saying. So let’s hope they have a plan.