Scouting the Predators

For the latest on the Nashville Predators, check out this game preview from The Tennessean, and to catch up on Kings news and notes, please check out my LAKings.com notebook for today. The Predators will apparently start goalie Anders Lindback tonight. Lindback started the last time the Predators played the Kings, on Dec. 18, and was pulled after he allowed three goals in the game’s first 10 minutes. Lindback has not appeared in a game since Dec. 22. Terry Murray said today that he believed Steve Sullivan (lower-body injury) might return tonight for Nashville, but I have not seen that reported anywhere. As for the Predators, here’s what Murray said about the matchup, followed by the expected lineups for both teams and the Predators’ roster…

MURRAY: “They’re a good hockey club. They’ve got real mobile guys on the back end, with Suter and Weber, their key guys. Rinne is a top goaltender. He’s a big body, hard to put pucks by. They come with a lot of speed, a sweeping kind of forecheck. They’re looking for you to make the wrong decision, to turn the puck over, and they counter back very quickly. We’ve just got to make sure we’re managing the puck the right way and supporting each other on breakouts and do the right stuff through the middle of the ice. Once we get into the offensive zone, I think we’re a good cycle team against anybody and we can generate some offensive plays and shooting opportunities. They’re a good hockey club, and we’ve got to make sure we’re on top of our game.”

PREDATORS LINEUP
Sergei Kostitsyn-Marcel Goc-Patric Hornqvist
Colin Wilson-David Legwand-Marek Svatos
Nick Spaling-Jarred Smithson-Joel Ward
J-P Dumont-Chris Mueller-Wade Belak

Ryan Suter-Shea Weber
Francis Bouillon-Kevin Klein
Shane O’Brien-Cody Franson

Anders Lindback

—–

KINGS LINEUP
Brown-Kopitar-Simmonds
Smyth-Handzus-Williams
Clifford-Stoll-Sturm
Richardson-Lewis-Westgarth

Johnson-Doughty
Scuderi-Greene
Martinez-Drewiske

Bernier

—–

PREDATORS ROSTER
3 — Wade Belak — RW
4 — Cody Franson — D
6 — Shea Weber — D
8 — Kevin Klein — D
9 — Marcel Goc — C
11 — David Legwand — C
13 — Nick Spaling — LW
20 — Ryan Suter — D
25 — Jerred Smithson — C
27 — Patric Hornqvist — RW
29 — Joel Ward — RW
33 — Colin Wilson — C
40 — Marek Svatos — RW
51 — Francis Bouillon — D
52 — Alexander Sulzer — D
53 — Chris Mueller — C
55 — Shane O’Brien — D
58 — Linus Klasen — LW
71 — J-P Dumont — RW
74 — Sergei Kostitsyn — LW

35 — Pekka Rinne — G
39 — Anders Lindback — G

Injured-reserve list:
10 — Martin Erat — RW
15 — Matthew Lombardi — C
16 — Cal O’Reilly — C
26 — Steve Sullivan — LW