The Nashville Predators, despite grappling with a three-game losing streak, are not ready to throw in the towel on their NHL season. With 15 games still left on the table, the team is determined to regain traction and end on a high note. The Predators face the Anaheim Ducks on their home turf on Thursday, with eyes set on redemption after a 2-1 loss against the same team last Friday and a nail-biting 1-0 defeat in overtime against the Los Angeles Kings the next day.
Zachary L’Heureux, one of the Predators’ forwards, encapsulated the team’s mindset. “It’s a tough patch, no doubt,” he conceded. “But we’re not backing down. We’ll be analysing our gameplay, identifying areas of improvement, and keeping our passion and intensity high for Thursday’s encounter.”
The Predators made some strategic acquisitions last offseason, roping in Jonathan Marchessault from the Vegas Golden Knights and Steven Stamkos from the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, the team had a rocky start, losing its first five games, and has been playing catch up since. Marchessault, despite averaging over 33 goals per game for the past three seasons with Vegas, has been limited to a single goal this month, bringing his season tally to 19. Similarly, Stamkos, who averaged close to 39 goals over the past three seasons in Tampa Bay, now stands at 22 goals.
Predators’ coach, Andrew Brunette, voiced the team’s frustration. “We seem to be caught in a loop of inconsistent performance,” he admitted. “It’s becoming a chore rather than a joy, and that is something we need to address.”
Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks, despite their own rebuilding process, are likely to miss the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Ducks’ coach Greg Cronin took a different approach in the previous game, experimenting with his line-up in an attempt to breathe new life into the team. “I started off with different line combinations, looking for that spark,” Cronin explained. “Halfway through the game, I reverted to our usual line-ups, aiming for balance on the road.”
An unexpected positive for the Ducks has been the recent performance of their recruits from the American Hockey League affiliate in San Diego. Sam Colangelo, recalled on Feb. 27, scored five goals in four games before being sidelined with an injury. His replacement, Nikita Nesterenko, has scored a goal in each of his past two games.
Nesterenko was humble about his performance, attributing it to his teammates. “My goal is to create opportunities for them,” he explained. “They played well in the last game, generating some impressive offence. It was a pleasure playing alongside them.”
In other news, the Golden State Warriors continue to reap the benefits of the Jimmy Butler trade from the Miami Heat on Feb. 6. Since his arrival, the team has an impressive 15-3 record. The Nashville Predators, despite their current slump, are hoping to mirror such a turnaround in the remainder of their season.
