Game Preview: Nashville Predators vs. Winnipeg Jets 1/24/23

Jan 24, 2023 - 6:00 PM

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How to Watch

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
TV: BSSO
Radio: 102.5 The Game, El Jefe Radio
Jets’ SBNation Blog: Arctic Ice Hockey

Who’s ready for a good ol’ fashioned Central Division showdown?

The Preds and Winnipeg Jets always manage to find a way to make these matchups spicy, whether it’s a run of big hits, a few mass dust-ups, or just by playing some wild, bats*** hockey game.

The Nashville Predators last game, a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings, was somewhat overshadowed by events before the game. The team held a player-led closed-door meeting before that game that, according to AtoZ Sports’ Alex Daugherty, was described as equal parts “uncomfortable” and “truthful,” and focused heavily on some of the team’s more high-profile players.

Whatever was said, the message seemed to resonate. It was indeed the Preds’ big guns that spearheaded the win over the Kings. The question now becomes can they keep that same “now or never” attitude going for 36 more games.

Their first test isn’t an easy one. This is the most well-rounded Jets team Nashville has seen since that fateful 2018 playoff series. Connor Hellebuyck is among the NHL’s best goaltenders this season, the defense is relatively sound, and a quartet of players burning up the scoresheet (Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mark Scheifele, and defenseman Josh Morrissey) have helped Winnipeg become a top-10 offense in the NHL.

Despite all that, the fact that Juuse Saros is one of the hottest goaltenders in the league right now makes it a strong possibility we could see a classic 2-1, 3-2 goaltending battle that’s become a trademark of the Preds-Jets rivalry.

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What’s your prediction for this game, Preds fans?