NASHVILLE, Tenn.– The Tampa Bay Lightning will visit the Nashville Predators on Friday afternoon, kicking off the first half of a back-to-back series. Tampa Bay previously edged out Nashville 3-2 in overtime on October 28, thanks to Brayden Point’s strong performance (1 goal, 1 assist) and Nick Paul’s OT winner.
Tampa Bay holds a favorable record against Nashville, boasting a 24-16-5 all-time series lead, including 13-3-1 over the past five seasons.
Former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, now with the Predators, leads Tampa Bay’s all-time scoring against Nashville with 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 26 games.
READ: Lightning Fall To Capitals Despite Point’s Hat Trick
The Lightning will aim to rebound from a close loss to Washington, while the Predators hope to climb out of the Central Division basement. With key players nearing significant milestones and Tampa Bay’s historical dominance over Nashville, this matchup promises plenty of action.
Players to Watch:
- Lightning Leading Scorers:
- Nikita Kucherov: 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists)
- Brandon Hagel: 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists)
- Brayden Point: 20 points (15 goals, 5 assists)
- Predators Leading Scorers:
- Roman Josi: 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists)
- Filip Forsberg: 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists)
- Ryan O’Reilly: 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists)
Milestone Watch:
- Tampa Bay:
- Brandon Hagel: Needs 1 goal to reach 100 career goals.
- Victor Hedman: Needs 2 assists to pass Martin St. Louis as Tampa Bay’s all-time assist leader.
- Brayden Point: 3 games shy of 600 career NHL games.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy: 5 games shy of 500 career games played.
- Nashville:
- Steven Stamkos, now with the Predators, continues to shine as a key figure against his former team.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.