Nashville’s Notes:
~ Last Game: Minnesota 2, Nashville 3 at Bridgestone Arena – Nashville tallied all three of its goals in the first period. It last scored three goals in a period on April 2, 2013 vs. Colorado (third period). The Predators recorded their first power-play goal(s) of the season. They last scored multiple power-play goals on March 23, 2013 vs Columbus –a 5-2 win. Pekka Rinne stopped 32-of-34 shots for his first win of the season. In the two games since being pulled in the season opener at St. Louis, Rinne has posted a .942 save percentage. Rich Clune picked up his first penalty of the season with a fighting major at 2:59 of the first, and ended the game with nine penalty minutes total. Clune ranked fifth in the NHL last season with 113 penalty minutes. Seven different Predators earned a point in the game. Sixteen of the Predators’ 18 skaters posted at least one shot on goal. Matt Cullen, Patric Hornqvist and Eric Nystrom each had three shots to lead the team. Nashville outhit Minnesota (25-14), and doubled up in the blocked shots column (12-6)
~ Injury:
- Roman Josi – Day-to-day with a concussion
- Viktor Stalberg – On IR with an upper-body injury (Stalberg skated with the full team on Wednesday morning)
~ Nashville faces the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second game of a five-game homestand which will see the Wild, Leafs, Islanders, Panthers and Kings all visit the Music City. The Predators have been one of the League’s best teams on home ice since the beginning of the 2005-06 season, compiling 193 home victories, fourth most in the NHL in that span. Nashville is the only team in the NHL to post at least 23 home victories in seven consecutive full seasons. The Preds have also sold out a 34 of their last 38 home games dating back to March 6, 2012 vs. Los Angeles
~ The Leafs make just their fifth-ever trip Bridgestone Arena tonight –the fewest of any of the NHL’s 29 other teams –and their first trip since Nov. 17, 2011. It is also just the fifth overall meeting between the Predators and Leafs since the 2008-09 season. The Predators hold a 7-5-(1)-0 record against the Leafs in their 13-season history, including a 3-1-0 mark at Bridgestone Arena. In their last meeting at Bridgestone Arena, the Preds got two goals from Martin Erat and Pekka Rinne made 38 saves to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Leafs.
~ Career Highlights vs Toronto:
- Matt Cullen made his NHL debut against Toronto on Oct. 28, 1997 (with Anaheim).
- Mike Fisher tied a career high with three points (2g-1a) vs. Toronto on Nov. 27, 2010 (with Ottawa). For his career, Fisher has 34 points (21g-13a) in 57 games against the Maple Leafs. The Peterborough, Ont. native also, converted his second career penalty shot vs Toronto on Nov. 2, 2010 (Jean-Sebastien Giguere).
- David Legwand tallied his first NHL goal on Oct. 11, 1999 against then-Toronto netminder Glenn Healy.
- Eric Nystrom tied his career-high with two goals and six shots against Toronto on Nov. 25, 2011.
~15TH Anniversary Moment:
- January 17, 2002: Johnson scores in OT as Preds beat Leafs in first trip to Nashville for being one of the NHL’s storied Original Six franchise, the fourth-year Nashville Predators gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a rude welcoming in their first visit to Bridgestone Arena. Greg Johnson pounded a rebound past Leafs goalie Corey Schwab just 47 seconds into overtime to defeat Toronto 3-2, keeping the Preds unbeaten against the team from the “Center of the Hockey Universe.”
- “The rebound came right onto my backhand,” Johnson said. “I was surprised I got as much wood on it as I did. It just bounced right. I tried to hit it as hard as I could and as high as I could.”
- Vladimir Orszagh and Tom Fitzgerald tallied first-period goals as well, and Mike Dunham anchored the Preds stingy defense that went on to give up just eight goals in five games. Johnson’s fourth goal in eight games continued Nashville’s dominance on home ice, improving it to 11-1-5 in its last 17 at home and 3-0-8 in overtime this season.
- “The Predators have proved they are a pretty darn good team at home,” Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn said. “They come after you and have earned the record they have in this building.”
—–*—–
Toronto’s Notes:
~ Last Game: OCTOBER 8 – TORONTO 1 vs. COLORADO 2 – Semyon Varlamov made 27 saves on 28 shots to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Cory Sarich and PA Parenteau each scored for Colorado in the win. Joffrey Lupul had the lone goal for Toronto, while Jonathan Bernier stopped 31-of-33 shots in a losing effort. TOR PP: 0-2 / COL PP: 0-3 / Shots: 28-33
- Trevor Smith made his Maple Leafs debut and became the 900th player to play at least one game in Toronto franchise history. To date, 900 players (811 skaters, 89 goaltenders) have played at least one game for the Maple Leafs-St.Pats Arenas.
~ Injury:
- Mark Fraser – Knee – Expected to miss approx 4 weeks, injury occured on October 2, at PHI
- Nikolai Kulemin – Ankle – Expected to miss at least 2 weeks. Injury occured during practice on October 4
- Frazer McLaren – Broken Finger – Injury occured during practice at training camp on September 13
~ Recent Transactions:
- October 9 – Recalled T.J. Brennan, David Broll and Josh Leivo from the Toronto Marlies — Assigned Jamie Devane and Trevor Smith to the Marlies
~Team Notes vs Nashville:
- 2012-13 Series: DNP
- All-Time Record: 5-6-1-1 (1-2-0-1 at Nashville)
- LAST GAME: November 17, 2011 at Nashville (Maple Leafs 1, Predators 4)
- NEXT GAME: November 21, 2013 at Toronto
- CURRENT STREAKS: Nashville (one win)
~Toronto vs Nashville Noteables:
- Dion Phaneuf leads all Toronto players in career assists (tie-11) and points (16) in 20 games against Nashville.
- Dave Bolland leads all Toronto players in career goals (6) in 29 games against Nashville.
- Jay McClement leads all Toronto players in career games played (47), assists (tie-11) and penalty minutes (31) against Nashville. McClement has registered more career assists and penalty minutes against Nashville than against any other NHL club.
- Cody Franson played 141 games with Nashville over two seasons (2009-10 to 2010-11), registering 50 points (14 goals, 36 assists) with 46 penalty minutes.
- Nashville forward Viktor Stalberg played 40 games with Toronto in 2009-10, registering 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) with 30 penalty minutes.
~ Leafs will look to start the season with a 3-0 road record for the first time since 1993-94
~ 2-0-0 on the road, 10/11 on PK, won last 3 reg season road games
~ 14/15 on PK this season
~ Lupul (2G, 3A) during a 3 game PT streak –> Lupul expects to be in the lineup against the Predators. He did not practice Wednesday because of a bruised left calf, but took part in the morning skate.
~ Bernier is expected to make his second straight start in goal, he is 7-1-0 in his career vs NSH, 3-0-0 in NSH with a 1.88 goals against average and .932 save percentage.
~ Upcoming Milestones:
- Jake Gardiner needs nine games for 100 NHL games played
- David Clarkson needs three goals for 100 NHL goals (currently suspended)
- Phil Kessel needs 14 goals for 200 NHL goals ; four assists for 200 NHL assists
- Dave Bolland needs one assist for 100 NHL assists
- Jay McClement needs six points for 200 NHL points
- Paul Ranger needs eight points for 100 NHL points
~ Record By Days Of The Week:
2013-14 Season: 2012-13 Season:
- Sunday: 0-0-0 Sunday: 0-0-0
- Monday: 0-0-0 Monday: 6-2-1
- Tuesday: 1-1-0 Tuesday: 3-3-0
- Wednesday: 1-0-0 Wednesday: 3-2-1
- Thursday: 0-0-0 Thursday: 6-6-1
- Friday: 0-0-0 Friday: 0-0-0
- Saturday: 1-0-0 Saturday: 8-3-2
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