NBCSN’s coverage of the 2019-20 NHL season continues with Tuesday’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
Tampa trailed Carolina 3-0 in the first period on Saturday before ultimately falling a goal short to end November on their first three-game losing streak of the season. After the loss, captain Steven Stamkos said, “It starts in the room with us as players and it starts with myself as a leader. I have to do a better job of trying to lead the way early in games.”
The Lightning, who are looking to bounce back after becoming the first top overall seed to get swept in a best-of-seven opening round playoff series, got off to a slow start this season (6-5-2 through Nov. 1) but then won six of eight games to get back into early-season contention. This current skid may not be a major cause for concern given each loss has been by one goal but what is alarming is that all of Tampa’s wins in the last month came against teams currently out of playoff position.
After starting the season, 8-3-1, Nashville has lost 10 of its last 14 games since Halloween. The splits in the table show that over the last month the Predators’ averages are both considerably worse compared to their start to the season:
October 31st started a stretch in which Nashville lost eight of nine (1-6-2), that included a six-game losing streak, but the Predators rebounded to put together a four-game point streak (3-0-1) – before ending November with the shutout loss at the Panthers.
[COVERAGE OF LIGHTNING-PREDATORS BEGINS AT 7 P.M. ET – NBCSN]
WHAT: Tampa Bay Lightning at Nashville Predators
WHERE: Bridgestone Arena
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
LIVE STREAM: You can watch the Lightning-Predators stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
LIGHTNING
Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - Steven Stamkos
Carter Verhaeghe - Tyler Johnson - Mathieu Joseph
Patrick Maroon - Cedric Paquette - Yanni Gourde
Victor Hedman - Kevin Shattenkirk
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev - Luke Schenn
Starting goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy
PREDATORS
Filip Forsberg - Matt Duchene - Ryan Johansen
Calle Jarnkrok - Kyle Turris - Mikael Granlund
Rocco Grimaldi - Nick Bonino - Craig Smith
Austin Watson - Colton Sissons - Mathieu Olivier
Roman Josi - Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm - Dante Fabbro
Dan Hamhuis - Yannick Weber
Starting goalie: Pekka Rinne
Tonight’s studio coverage will be hosted by Paul Burmeister alongside analysts Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter. John Forslund and Pierre McGuire will call the action from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
In addition, NASCAR champions Kyle Busch (2019) and Joey Logano (2018) are scheduled to make guest appearances during tonight’s NHL coverage as part of NBC Sports and NASCAR’s “Nashville Takeover” this week, highlighted by the NASCAR Awards from Nashville this Thursday night on NBCSN.
Busch will join pre-game coverage and Logano will join McGuire ‘Inside-the-Glass’ during the second period. Busch also made a guest appearance on last night’s WWE Raw event on USA Network.