Carolina Hurricanes @ Nashville Predators: Lineups, Game Preview and How to Watch

What - Game 34 (21-11-1)
When - 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 23
Where - Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, TN
How to Watch - FanDuel Sports Network South

The Carolina Hurricanes will look to head into the holiday break on a positive note as they play their second straight game on Broadway, this time taking on the Nashville Predators (10-17-7).

The Canes are coming off of a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers and they are now 3-1-0 in their last four games.

Pyotr Kochetkov had a really good game in New York where he not only outdueled Igor Shesterkin but also led the Canes in scoring with a two-point night.

The Hurricanes will be hoping he can reproduce that level of performance.

The Canes also will hope that they can get their top guys going. It's been a point night in and night out it seems because the top players on the team just haven't been producing as they're expected to.

Depth-wise, Carolina has been great, but they need those top guys to get going if they want to be a top team.

On the other side of the ice, somehow the Predators are one of the worst teams in hockey.

Only one point above the bottom and with the least amount of wins in the league, Nashville has looked awful this season in what many thought would be a big year after their aggressive offseason.

But it seems like nothing is clicking in Music City.

Streaks

• Sebastian Aho (3g, 2a) is on a four-game point streak.

Milestone Watch

• Rod Brind'Amour is one win away from 300 career wins as an NHL head coach. With 485 games coached, he would become the fastest head coach to that milestone in NHL history (Current record is 496 - Brice Boudreau).

• Jalen Chatfield will play in his 200th game as a Hurricane tonight.

• Andrei Svechnikov is one assist shy of 200 career assists.

• Jordan Staal registered his 400th career assist last night against the New York Rangers.

Game Notes

• Carolina is 24-16-1-4 all-time against Nashville and last season went 1-0-1.

• Nashville defenseman Brady Skjei, who signed a seven-year deal there this offseason, played 302 games in Carolina where he posted 135 points.

• Sebastian Aho (12g, 14pts in 22 games) is a point-per-game player against the Predators.

Key Matchups

Starting Goalies

• Dustin Tokarski: 1-0-0; 0.964 Sv%; 1.00 GAA

• Juuse Saros: 7-14-6; 0.907 Sv%; 2.72 GAA

Leading Scorers

• Goals - Martin Necas & Jack Roslovic (14) / Jonathan Marchessault (10)

• Points - Martin Necas (44) / Filip Forsberg (26)

Power Play

• Carolina - 26.4% (6th)

• Nashville - 17.3% (24th)

Penalty Kill

• Carolina - 86.1% (3rd)

• Nashville - 87.3% (2nd)

Hurricanes Projected Lineup

Jack Roslovic - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis
Eric Robinson - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Martin Necas
Jordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - Andrei Svechnikov
William Carrier - Tyson Jost - Jackson Blake

Jaccob Slavin - Brent Burn
Dmitry Orlov - Jalen Chatfield
Shayne Gostisbehere - Sean Walker

Pyotr Kochetkov
Dustin Tokarski

Injuries and Scratches: Jack Drury (hand), Frederik Andersen (LBI), Jesper Fast (neck)

Predators Projected Lineup

Filip Forsberg - Steven Stamkos - Jonathan Marchessault
Zachary L'Heureux - Ryan O'Reilly - Gustav Nyquist
Mark Jankowski - Tommy Novak - Luke Evangelista
Cole Smith - Michael McCarron - Colton Sissons

Jeremy Lauzon - Roman Josi
Brady Skjei - Nick Blankenburg
Adam Wilsby - Luke Schenn

Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen

Injuries and Scratches: Justin Barron, Juuso Parssinen, Ozzy Wiesblatt